This was the “toll fee” he gave to Xing Conglian that day. Time had passed, but he was still the one being extorted.
Lin Chen’s fingers trembled slightly, and after a while, he took out a twenty yuan bill and handed it to the chubby kid.
The hospital was planted with many pearl plum trees. The blue sky, green leaves, white walls, and snow-white flowers, plus the shock in the little boy’s black eyes after getting the money—everything exuded life.
It’s good to be alive.
Zheng Xiaoming came abruptly and left without any psychological burden after scamming him out of his money.
Lin Chen held the burger wrapper that was exchanged with him, unfolded it, and looked at it in the wind.
The sunlight shone through the snow-white, oil-proof paper. There was no text inside. Indeed, it was just a piece of paper that was carefully packed and taken away after the burger was finished.
The wind brushed the oil-proof paper. Lin Chen sniffed it. It smelled really good, so in a sense, it wasn’t a total loss.
After being interrupted by Zheng Xiaoming, Lin Chen suddenly became bored.
Probably because he wanted to cheer up but didn’t have the energy, but he was too lazy to think about things like human fate and destiny; he just wanted to sleep for a while.
Then he really fell asleep.
He didn’t know how long he had slept.
By the time he opened his eyes, the sun in the sky had changed its angle and became hotter. And there was someone sitting next to him—a youthful, short-haired girl.
He looked at the girl’s fair side profile, wondering what Xing Conglian was trying to do.
Realizing that he was awake, the girl dragged a KFC bucket from a family meal from the ground and set it next to him. She opened the lid without saying a word.
Lin Chen rubbed his forehead, wondering why the children he knew were becoming more and more taciturn. Fang Aizi must have seen the KFC wrapper he was holding tightly, so the misunderstanding was deep.
He folded the paper that Zheng Xiaoming had sent, put it back into his pocket, and couldn’t explain.
He couldn’t refuse the kindness, so he picked a piece of the original recipe fried chicken from the bucket and took a bite. Sure enough, the fried chicken was completely cold despite the hot weather, indicating how long he had been asleep and how long Fang Aizi had been with him.
“Don’t you have to go to school?” Lin Chen asked.
The girl glanced at him. Her black hair was blown into a mess by the wind on the rooftop. “No need.”
“Today is Wednesday. Why not?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“…” Lin Chen could only continue to eat the fried chicken. Fang Aizi found a biscuit inside and handed it to him.
The meaning was probably that the fried chicken was too greasy, so he should eat some bread first.
Lin Chen accepted it and said, “Thank you,” but Fang Aizi still didn’t speak.
Lin Chen ate silently for a while before finally saying, “How can we chat like this?”
“Don’t want to chat.” The response was very straightforward.
Lin Chen was always helpless toward the little girl. After carefully considering women’s psychology, he looked at Fang Aizi and said, “Are you angry?”
Only then did Fang Aizi finally turn her head to look at him squarely and nod very seriously.
“Why?” After he said this, he realized that the answer wasn’t quite right. He recalled the rules he had read about how to coax a girlfriend while chasing Xing Conglian, and tentatively said, “In any case, I must be the one at fault, but I am a bit stupid. Can you tell me where I went wrong?”
Fang Aizi also felt choked. After a while, tears began to well up in the girl’s eyes. Her skin was white and transparent, making her look like a heroine in a Japanese shoujo manga*.
*Japanese comics targeting adolescent girls and young adult women. Generally, the protagonist is a young girl.
But her expression was calm. The tears in her eyes didn’t fall, showing that her endurance was far beyond ordinary people.
Lin Chen sighed deeply. Even though his head was hurting, at this moment, he could no longer see the gray interrogation room, the toilet, or those lives that had disappeared in front of him one after another. He could only see the living people in front of him.
He opened his arms and asked the girl next to him, “Do you want a hug?”
As expected, the advice from the post was very useful. The girl finally couldn’t help it and cried loudly as she buried her head on his shoulder with tears streaming down her face.
Lin Chen patted Fang Aizi’s back. This girl was excessively strong that tears weren’t in her dictionary, but now she was heartbroken.
Lin Chen could feel her sadness, which contained fear, worry, and uncertainty about the future.
Fang Aizi cried for a long time, and Lin Chen suspected that she had never cried so inexplicably in her life.
After a very long time, about half an hour, Fang Aizi was finally able to control her emotions. She took her head off his shoulder, covered her face, probably feeling too embarrassed. Lin Chen took a napkin from the KFC bucket and passed it to her.
“I’m sorry,” Fang Aizi said.
“It’s okay. Capriciousness is a girl’s privilege.”
“When I came to the rooftop and saw you sitting here alone, I was very scared.”
“I know.”
“At first, I thought, ‘Consultant Lin is also human. He may also feel tired and can’t keep going, so let him rest for a while…'” Fang Aizi was still somewhat sobbing.
“Yeah…”
“No, that’s not it,” Fang Aizi interrupted him. “I bought KFC and came back, and you hadn’t woken up yet. I suddenly thought, ‘If even you are ready to give up, what will we do?'”
Lin Chen paused for a moment, always feeling that such words should not be spoken by a girl like Fang Aizi.
“Of course, you don’t actually owe us anything,” she said. “You’re not a savior. There are plenty of tall and strong people in the world, but… I only know you.”
The girl sniffed. “You told me, I was born to live a more upright life than others. Others can harbor hatred, I cannot; others can wish for death, I cannot. You told me that from the day my father died, I can only carry the glory and pride he gave me and keep going…”
Lin Chen glanced at her. “I brewed such beautiful chicken soup?”
Fang Aizi sniffed and finally didn’t look as fragile as before. She put on her cloak of strength and said, “You were very good that day.”
“Eh… I thought so too.”
“I thought a lot about it. I’ve been thinking about how to comfort you since I went downstairs to buy the takeout.”
Lin Chen looked down at the tear stains on his shirt and said, “You performed quite well, too.”
Fang Aizi was a bit embarrassed. “Anyway, I really thought of a lot of lines, but the moment you woke up, I suddenly found that I couldn’t say anything. I was afraid that you would say to me: Aizi, life is too hard; let’s just give it up.”
The girl no longer cried, but her eyes were still very red. “I’m afraid that the person who encourages me to keep going will collapse first, and then I will find it hard to keep going.”
Lin Chen shook his head, wanting to find something to joke about, but he suddenly found that it was indeed his real thought at some point.
“So…”
Fang Aizi patted herself, stood up against the light. Her short black hair flew in the wind, making her look heroic.
“Consultant Lin, thank you for pulling me out of the mud when my life was darkest, but I’m sorry, I still need to bother you.” She patted her shoulder and said earnestly, “Since you have become my life mentor, please continue to lead by example.”
Fang Aizi finished speaking and left without any delay. Lin Chen finally discovered the second commonality of children who didn’t like to talk.
The sound of the girl’s footsteps disappeared on the rooftop.
He looked at the gradually setting sun and laughed with a lot of emotion.
Fang Aizi had completely grasped his weakness. He really had no solution to the girl’s tears.
After all, intelligent and beautiful girls were the treasures of all mankind.
Lin Chen sat cross-legged and opened his phone.
For such a long time, he didn’t receive any missed calls, which meant Xing Conglian had excellent control over the situation.
He wiped his phone screen and dialed the number; the call was answered instantly.
Xing Conglian told someone nearby, “Wait a moment.”
In the interim, Lin Chen said to Xing Conglian, “You can stop now. Don’t send more people.”
“How did you know there are more?” Xing Conglian asked indifferently.
Lin Chen was speechless. “I just guessed.”
“The next one is Mu Wenhua,” Xing Conglian said.
“What’s going on?”
“She is a fan of Song Shengsheng.”
Lin Chen could only remain silent. “No more.”
“She wrote a thank-you letter to you and has always wanted to see you.”
“That’s strange.”
“Are you shy?”
“Not really,” Lin Chen said. The city beneath the rooftop was bathed in warm sunshine, making the leaves gleam. He watched for a while, but Xing Conglian didn’t say anything more, so he had to admit, “Okay, I’m a bit shy.”
“Why?”
Lin Chen didn’t expect Xing Conglian to ask seriously.
“I don’t know,” he said.
“Because for many people, they would rather admit their dark side than their inherent goodness. For you, you’d rather confront a psychopath to the end than accept the sincere gratitude of a normal person. Are you…”
“Sick?”
“How would I dare to say that to the head of the family!”
“Uh…” Lin Chen thought for a moment and complimented Xing Conglian. “Captain Xing is very eloquent.”
“Consultant Lin, you’re too kind.”
Lin Chen was helpless. It was very quiet on Xing Conglian’s side, like he was climbing stairs.
Xing Conglian continued, “In fact, what really keeps you going is not the criminals, but the good people and the ordinary people you care about. So think about it, why are you standing here?”
Lin Chen glanced at the rooftop. “I just want to enjoy the breeze here.”
“Lin Chen,” Xing Conglian said seriously.
“Here.”
“Be bold. Accept kindness boldly, admit short-term gains and losses boldly, and continue your journey boldly,” Xing Conglian said solemnly. “You don’t owe anyone anything, and you are destined to win.”
Xing Conglian was like a boss lecturing his subordinates, but this kind of advice, without any personal feelings, was very helpful to Lin Chen.
“I see,” Lin Chen said.
After saying this, he paused but still wanted to ask, “Why am I destined to win?”
“No reason. It’s just that it’s always better to have faith than not to have it.”
Xing Conglian didn’t have many profound philosophies and just spoke straightforwardly.
The sun overhead was very bright, and Lin Chen inexplicably felt a sense of being nourished.
“Wife…” Lin Chen drew out his words, and he could clearly hear Xing Conglian gasping at the other end of the phone.
“Lin Chen.” Xing Conglian forced himself to keep his voice steady.
“I’m here, my wife,” Lin Chen continued. “Do you know what I like about you the most?”
“What?” Xing Conglian asked.
“Everything,” Lin Chen answered.
Xing Conglian paused for a moment, then asked, “Do you know what I dislike about you the most?”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing,” Xing Conglian decisively said.
“Ah…”
Lin Chen continued to sigh. The door of the rooftop squeaked open, and the footsteps got closer. His heartbeat accelerated, and when he looked back, he heard Xing Conglian say, “Actually, there’s no Mu Wenhua. She’s in Yongchuan, and I’m not that heartless and crazy.”
Kinky Thoughts:
Okay… I have to admit, this is too fucking cute, especially the husband and wife reversal haha.
The world was so big, and his personal strength was so weak, that it seemed useless to do anything.
He typed on the keyboard and wrote a line of inexplicable code. Thinking about some past events, he felt somewhat discouraged.
At this moment, he felt someone’s hand on his neck—a large hand with thick calluses on the joints and fingertips. Of course, Wang Chao knew whose hand this was. This action had a gentle and comforting meaning, and he turned his head in surprise.
“Go sleep for a while.”
“Boss…”
Xing Conglian said, “Have some confidence. Go to sleep first.”
“The virus…”
‘How could I possibly have confidence?’ Wang Chao thought.
“First of all, this is a piece of propaganda material. Regardless of whether they are ready to use it, when we see it, they can only continue stubbornly.”
Stirred by this point, Wang Chao seemed to grasp something key. “They can’t hide anymore, can they? They can only prepare for a decisive battle?”
“If in the next phase, a large amount of material related to the Borna virus appears on the Internet, it proves that they are probably at the end of their strength,” Xing Conglian said.
The alarm for the monitor in the lower right corner of the computer went off.
He opened it immediately.
In the pop-up window, the “virus” and “contagious” related keywords he had set were explosively increasing in geometric numbers, exceeding the safety threshold.
“It’s started.” He turned the screen around to show his boss. The faces of everyone inside and outside the screen tightened. But having known in advance what was going to happen, he didn’t feel helpless.
“A cornered dog will leap over the wall*, heh.” Xing Conglian extinguished his cigarette.
*(狗急跳墙了) It’s a metaphor often used to refer to when bad guys are desperate, they will go all out to make trouble.
“What should we do next?” Wang Chao asked.
Xing Conglian thought for a moment and said, “I’ll make a call to Su Fengzi.”
Before his words fell, the mobile phone on the table lit up.
The incoming call was from an unknown number. Wang Chao shivered, immediately wanting to find the signal tracking device. But Xing Conglian, as if sensing something in advance, answered the phone with a gloomy face.
“Captain Xing… I am Chu Wei from the detention center.”
“Chu Wei.”
“Well… Consultant Lin is on the hospital rooftop. We’re not professionals, so we dare not persuade him… What do you think…”
Wang Chao was close enough to hear the careful wording inside. He stiffened, and all drowsiness disappeared.
“I see.” Xing Conglian paused for a long time, then said, “Tell your people to back off and not disturb him.”
After saying that, he looked at the two people in the video call and said, “Sorry.”
Then he abruptly closed his laptop and rubbed his face heavily.
But his device had already received the public sentiment warning, so the reaction from the command center wouldn’t be too slow.
Less than two minutes after hanging up the hospital’s call, Xing Conglian received the next call from Minister Shen. He had a premonition and answered the call directly, saying, “Wait for me for three minutes. I will report the situation in three minutes.”
Then he hung up.
The time left for Xing Conglian to think was very short.
On one hand, there was his A’Chen Gege, who was in a terrible situation, and on the other, the desperate culprits.
Wang Chao saw everything, but he didn’t know what to do other than feeling anxious.
Xing Conglian held his phone, opened the contacts, and slid his finger over the list of names.
He rubbed the edge of his phone, deep in thought.
Just when Wang Chao thought he would call A’Chen Gege, he saw his boss put the phone to his ear, and a moment later he said, “Fengzi, here’s the situation…”
Xing Conglian began to briefly explain the latest developments in the case to one of his allies.
Su Fengzi listened to the call for a while, and without any further teasing, he said, “The Borna virus probably hasn’t achieved its most efficient means of transmission, so they want to create mass panic with the drug and the virus. But either of these, we don’t have an effective way to suppress in the short term.”
“Right.”
“What about Lin Chen? Hasn’t Shen Lian loosened up yet? She’s waiting for a lifesaver.”
“Shen Lian tried committing suicide and is still being rescued.”
Su Fengzi’s breath hitched, but he sharply asked, “You’re avoiding the question directly. Did Lin Chen get stimulated? Is he not doing well?”
Xing Conglian took a deep breath and told the truth. “He’s on the hospital rooftop.”
“I see. Don’t tell him about the BDV virus for now. Tell him when he’s calmed down.” Su Fengzi was very decisive.
“I was thinking the same.” Xing Conglian said, “But I need a brief plan of action for dealing with public sentiment control and the potential for mass panic.”
“I’ll write a brief plan for you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sister*.” Su Fengzi was unusually irritable. “How is Lin Chen…”
*Clarity: He’s teasing Xing Conglian since Lin Chen is his “brother (shidi)”.
But Xing Conglian didn’t answer and hung up the phone.
Wang Chao checked the time. There was one minute left before his boss was scheduled to report the situation. At this moment, his boss looked at him with a firm gaze. “Find some people’s numbers for me, then go to sleep. You have two hours to rest.”
……
Lin Chen just wanted to go to the rooftop to get some fresh air.
The temperature in the early morning was neither hot nor cold, with blue skies and white clouds, not as suffocating as the doorway to the operating room.
Images of Shen Lian’s self-mutilation would spontaneously emerge before his eyes; the blood gushing from her mouth and that blue pencil were particularly vivid.
Sometimes Lin Chen could even see white bone stubs, although he wasn’t sure if that was imagined or if it had actually happened.
But none of that mattered now.
He sat down cross-legged, leaning against the concrete wall with his hands hanging on his legs, feeling the cool ground.
Because of the construction of the rooftop, if he wanted to find a place to lean his back against, he would be close to the edge of the rooftop.
He probably knew that it looked like he was about to commit suicide, but he didn’t have the energy to care about everyone’s feelings.
He was indeed very tired.
To be honest, although he always felt that he had bad luck, he didn’t really believe in destiny.
Furthermore, he didn’t believe in sayings like “justice will eventually come” or “the truth might be late, but it will never be absent”.
The role of feel-good phrases was to let people in desperate situations hold onto their beliefs and persevere, but the downside was also very clear: People may think that it’s the high and mighty justice of heaven at work.
But in reality, there was no such thing as heaven being fair, and everyone was treated like grass.
Those who truly fought for justice and truth were humans.
But it was precisely because there was no heavenly justice that humans often felt helpless.
Lin Chen closed his eyes.
Although the weather around him was clear, he felt like he was still standing in the narrow bathroom of the detention center.
He was propping himself against the sink, as if he were split into two people.
One side was dark, the other was bright.
One side was filled with despair and loneliness, while the other was fragmented and colorful due to the reflection of the colored paper.
He was thinking of Huang Weiwei.
The vague smile of the girl appeared on the colored paper.
As he looked at her, she smiled back at him.
If there was really such a thing as heavenly justice, or if people’s fate was determined by their goodness or badness, then Huang Weiwei had the most reason to stand in the end.
But Huang Weiwei was dead.
He thought of Song Shengsheng.
He racked his brains, trying to find a precise phrase to sum up Song Shengsheng.
Such a beautiful life.
This was the only phrase he could think of.
But, Song Shengsheng was dead.
Of course, this cause-and-effect relationship wasn’t very clear.
But how could there be such a clear cause and effect?
Whether it was Fang Zhiming or Xu Ran, what reasons did they have to die?
And the four people.
Four people in exchange for thousands of innocent lives—what a profitable deal. They should have chosen it…
Then everything would have ended.
Lin Chen knew that he was now splitting hairs. The person who should be responsible for all this is the murderer, not God.
But since there was a murderer, they should stop him, not stand by and watch as tragedies keep on happening.
Yet he couldn’t do anything, feeling extremely powerless.
But, he didn’t want to admit that the enemy was too powerful, nor did he want to admit that he was too weak.
He could only believe that fate was a blind arbitrator, and the world was inherently unpredictable and irrational, so no matter what happened, it wouldn’t be too outrageous.
Lin Chen realized that he couldn’t even persuade himself, let alone Shen Lian. He gripped his cell phone but didn’t make a call. Since Xing Conglian didn’t call, it meant that things weren’t going well.
He blinked, and the cool wind brushed his face. His face was facing the sun, and he could feel the red blood vessels beneath his eyelids.
He knew he looked sickly now, but there was a certain comfort in this sickly feeling.
To wallow in a sense of hopeless despair meant he didn’t have to exert any willpower to achieve a satisfactory state or to satisfy others. How nice that would be…
If this was a tragic story, it could very well end with the protagonist committing suicide. Unfortunately, reality was more brutal than fiction because, regardless of how miserable it was, he was the one writing the script of his life. No one would be responsible for his life, so most of the time, he could only keep going.
Tap, tap…
The sound of a door opening echoed across the rooftop, followed by timid footsteps. Lin Chen rubbed his face, wanting to tell the approaching person that he had no intention of suicide and that he just wanted some peace.
But a faint scent of milk drifted in with the wind. He turned his head and saw a round, chubby face.
He was stunned.
“Why are you here?” he managed to ask.
Of course, the visitor wouldn’t answer.
Lin Chen patted the ground next to him, indicating for the person to sit down. To his surprise, the person sat directly on his crossed legs.
A chubby child with a fondness for various chicken burgers naturally carried considerable weight. The child, Zheng Xiaoming, leaned his whole body against Lin Chen for his own comfort, almost squeezing the breath out of Lin Chen.
Lin Chen struggled to withdraw his hand from behind Zheng Xiaoming, cradling the chubby child in his arms. He wanted to ask something but felt too weary to speak. Not everything needed a thorough investigation.
Zheng Xiaoming also remained silent. After all, an autistic prodigy lived in a world completely different from that of a normal person. So, they stayed together for a while, enjoying the breeze. The child’s soft hair brushed against his neck, and his overly plump body filled his arms, giving a satisfying feeling.
After an undetermined amount of time, Zheng Xiaoming finally moved. He squirmed on Lin Chen for a while, and just before Lin Chen’s legs were about to break from the weight, he finally took something out of his pocket.
It was a white food wrapper with some patterns on it.
Lin Chen realized, after the wrapper was unfolded, that it was a wrapper from a KFC chicken burger.
He stared at Zheng Xiaoming in surprise. The boy’s chubby cheeks were overflowing, but he greedily sniffed the aroma of the fried chicken wrapper, swallowed, and showed the pattern to him.
Then Zheng Xiaoming handed him the crumb-filled wrapper and opened his other hand.
His thumb, index finger, and middle finger came together, lightly rubbing.
This gesture was more than familiar.
Lin Chen looked at the chubby boy’s deep, clear eyes, full of expectation, and didn’t know what to say.
Note: These are mini extras that the author has written posted separately on JJ. She intermittently updates them, usually on Valentine’s Day and other holidays for her CPs. The translation will be updated when the author updates her blog. You can get updates when translations are updated in my Discord server. Below is a ton of dog food.
2025/29/8
Everyone’s Summer Cool-Down Routines
Another Qixi has come around, and our married couples are celebrating again.
Here are their little everyday tricks for beating the heat—
“A business trip in the middle of summer?” Yin Ren dabbed at nonexistent tears. “Minister Fu, do you have any humanity?”
Fu Xingchuan watched the performance, unmoved. “None.”
“But they do have a famous local braised-meat specialty. It was featured in a documentary.”
Yin Ren: “Got it.”
The next day they took a high-speed train straight to the mission location.
The site was an old, ill-omened house with unusually rich evil qi nearby. Yin Ren found a snack stall close by and blew some evil qi to cool himself down, feeling so comfortable that every pore opened up.
The hunched stall owner slowly simmered the signature braise. The rich aroma lifted the lid, threaded into Yin Ren’s nose, and turned into a steaming sense of bliss.
“More of this kind of assignment would be great,” Yin Ren sighed.
“Mm,” Zhong Chengshuo nodded. “I’ve never been out here. There’s plenty of new samples to collect.”
As the sun neared the horizon, the stall owner rolled his cloudy eyes and stared at them with ill intent.
“Meat so fragrant, meat so fine,” he set down two bowls and cackled, “fragrant as little boys and girls… you a piece, me a piece, tomorrow we’ll go snatch the babies…”
“Truly fragrant. No wonder it made the documentary,” Yin Ren praised.
Stall owner: “……”
“Elder, that phrasing invites misunderstanding.” Zhong Chengshuo prodded a chunk with his chopsticks. “This isn’t human flesh. Human fat is yellow.”
Stall owner: “…………”
“Really,” Yin Ren blinked. “I never paid it much mind before, but I suppose it is yellow.”
Stall owner: “?”
“This is very fresh pork, lightly seasoned—quite healthy,” Zhong Chengshuo announced solemnly.
“Shame I like heavy flavors.” Yin Ren casually tugged a sooty lump off the stall owner’s brow, dropping it into his own pot. “Mm, that’s about right.”
Zhong Chengshou, completely used to it by now, leisurely ladled a spoon of clear broth.
The stall owner seemed to jolt awake from a dream. He looked them over, startled, and said a bit sheepishly, “My head gets foggy… Did you two pay?”
“We did,” Yin Ren said. “Elder, why set up your stall here?”
“It’s nice and cool,” the old man beamed.
“Tomorrow it’ll get warmer nearby,” Zhong Chengshuo said seriously. “Foot traffic isn’t great here. Try the market.”
“Alright!”
2025/5/20
Everyone’s Birthday Cakes
Congrats to the couple from “Help”on moving into the Married Zone☆(/ω＼)
This year’s 520 (May 20) mini-extra: couples celebrate their birthdays! It’s a perfect chance to compile everyone’s birthdays~
Yin Ren: January 20th
Source: A gift from Zhong Chengshuo. (29th day of the 12th lunar month, Renyin year; Great Cold, 2023)
Cake: [Deluxe Wedding Cake]
Yin Ren has a very odd “hatchling imprinting” fixation (?). Even Zhong Chengshuo feels it is a bit inappropriate to order a wedding cake every single year.
So Comrade Xiao Zhong carefully studied recipes from home and abroad, threw himself into it with a lab-experiment spirit, and produced a near-perfect multi-tier cake—he even crafted fondant toppers modeled on Yin Ren and himself.
※ Yin Ren always polishes off the entire cake and also casts a spell to preserve those fondant figures. The “husband-and-husband” figurines wear different outfits every year, but they are forever smiling.
A recipe Yin Ren hunted down. It uses lots of apples yet needs no excessive oil or sugar making it very healthy and up to Zhong Chengshuo’s wellness standards.
He even took time off to study at home, carefully comparing apple varieties, and made it especially tasty. It became one of Yin Ren’s few signature dishes.
※ When it’s time to share the cake, Yin Ren especially likes to feed Zhong Chengshuo a few bites by hand. After so many years, he can finally share sweet apples—and sweet happiness—with that black rabbit and do it with a smile.
2025/2/16
What to Do When You’re Stuck Together
Suddenly stuck together—what should you do?
A belated Valentine’s Day mini joke (?) story has arrived! Time for some sweet, sticky fluff ☆
Q: What should you do if you wake up in the morning and find your hand stuck to your partner’s?
A: Take leave from work first.
Zhong Chengshuo truthfully reported the abnormal incident and even submitted a leave request for Yin Ren while he was at it—
The Ghost King himself discovered their hands were stuck together, groggily cheered, “No work today!” then promptly fell back asleep, throwing a leg over Zhong Chengshuo’s waist for good measure.
Zhong Chengshuo melancholically swung his sole remaining free hand and made a decision that defied common health advice. He picked up his phone and used his left hand to order delivery.
According to his research, waking Yin Ren with noise didn’t work well; kisses or the smell of food were far more effective. However, kissing only happened when they were heading to work together. Now that he was stuck in bed too, there was no chance Yin Ren would get up voluntarily.
Only the food offensive remained.
Zhong Chengshuo, well aware of Yin Ren’s tastes, ordered from three different restaurants to ensure their breakfast was aromatic and appetizing. Sure enough, the moment the delivery driver arrived, Yin Ren instantly snapped awake.
“Fresh soy milk.” He sniffed the air and sat up happily. “And tofu pudding, stuffed pancakes, and egg burgers.”
Before the driver even knocked, Yin Ren had already flashed to the door.
Wake-up mission: perfectly accomplished. Zhong Chengshuo pushed up his glasses in satisfaction.
After washing up, the two of them moved to the dining table like conjoined twins, inspecting this inexplicable hand-holding anomaly. By now, both of them understood their own physical conditions well enough to know the situation wasn’t dangerous.
However, Shian was very concerned about this bizarre leave excuse, and Fu Xingchuan’s questions were practically flooding their chat window.
“This feels kind of fun.”
Yin Ren decisively grew another arm, completely unbothered by the anomaly. “Why not make up a reason and send it over? Minister Fu seems really spooked.”
Zhong Chengshuo shook his head. “There’s no need to lie to him.”
“No no no, it’s not lying—it’s reassurance.”
Yin Ren waved his chopsticks. “‘Although we don’t understand it, it seems harmless’—that kind of explanation is too vague. Minister Fu will definitely get anxious. We should consider his emotional state. If it’s still unresolved in a couple days, then we can have a serious talk.”
He was familiar with anomalies.
Not understanding the cause wasn’t a big deal—if it wasn’t harmful, just let it be. It might disappear on its own. He had seen this sort of thing countless times. Nature is just that magical.
And this anomaly… was actually kind of cute!
A rare chance to skip work openly—why not go on a hand-in-hand date around the city?
While Zhong Chengshuo replied dutifully to messages, Yin Ren was already efficiently searching for nearby events.
The rest of the day went just as he’d hoped. Their hands didn’t separate, but it didn’t hinder them either. The two of them went to the largest museum in Haigu and joyfully spent the whole day exploring.
Ever since Zhong Chengshuo sent that message to Fu Xingchuan, Yin Ren’s phone had stopped receiving new alerts. Well… Comrade Xiao Zhong was quite reliable after all.
Late at night when they returned home, Yin Ren stuffed a huge bag of snacks into the fridge and, for the first time in a while, opened the work group chat.
[Final Fruit: Yin Ren and I both think it’s fine.]
[Pray For More Talismans: No no no, your case is special—even if it’s fine, it still deserves attention!]
[Pray For More Talismans]: Do you guys have any theories?]
[Final Fruit: [sigh]]
[Final Fruit: Yin Ren and I are the same species. If we interpret ‘stuck together’ as a biological phenomenon, then considering common scenarios, this could be a form of same-species mating.]
[Pray For More Talismans]: ?]
[Final Fruit: The specific situation still needs further observation.]
[Pray For More Talismans: ???]
Yin Ren: “……”
Yin Ren closed his eyes, trying his hardest to erase that memory.
Wow, the next workday just became even less appealing.
2024/8/13
Everyone’s Favorite Sports
A belated short story for Qixi Festival, with a little Olympic commemoration (*/ω＼*)
Yin Ren: [Tree Climbing]
The Ghost King has a special fondness for tree climbing.
In the past, when the forests were dense, he loved climbing to the highest tree, lazily basking in the sun. Even with countless seals on his body, Yin Ren could still feel the warmth of the sun, like an embrace—though at that time, he didn’t really understand what a true embrace was.
After settling in Haigu, Yin Ren had to give up this hobby. The reason is simple—climbing the greenery on both sides of the city is too undignified, and climbing trees in the park isn’t quite appropriate either. Only when he goes on mountain trips with Zhong Chengshuo can Yin Ren happily climb trees again.
Fortunately, he has the perfect substitute for his daily life.
When he sleeps, Yin Ren likes to drape himself entirely over Zhong Chengshuo. He always gets a warm hug, just like basking in the sun
Zhong Chengshuo: [Shooting]
Rather than saying Zhong Chengshuo likes shooting, it’s more accurate to say he’s good at it.
Shooting is an excellent way to exercise. Controlling your breathing, heart rate, and muscles, and even considering wind speed—every detail must be taken into account. Attacking a moving target requires calculating its trajectory. To Zhong Chengshuo, this sport is equivalent to a mathematical problem in motion.
After marrying Yin Ren, Zhong Chengshuo rarely practices shooting anymore. He prefers to spend time with Yin Ren, and he’s found a good substitute.
When Yin Ren is asleep, Zhong Chengshuo can catch the unconscious flapping of his wings—controlling his breathing, heart rate, and muscles still requires precision.
Perfect.
2024/6/1
Childhood Hairstyles
I suddenly wondered what everyone’s hairstyle was like when they were kids, so I’m sharing this on Children’s Day—
Consider it a little addition to the setting (〃ω〃)
Yin Ren: [Extremely Long Hair]
Considering that long hair had many uses, young Yin Ren paid great attention to hair care. Besides hunting, eating, and sleeping, he had limited entertainment, so playing with his hair was a good way to pass the time.
Zhong Chengshuo: [Standard Student Cut]
Since both of his parents were police officers, young Comrade Zhong had the most standard short haircut for a good student. His hair grew a bit longer while he was in school, but the length was limited, making him look like a well-behaved child.
2024/5/20
Everyone’s Favorite Fruits
This year’s Married Couple Day on 520* has arrived, so let’s write about everyone’s favorite fruits ☆
*The number 520 when pronounced in Chinese is very similar to [wǒ ài nǐ] (我爱你) I love you. Due to this, it has become a day in China called “Internet Valentine’s Day”.
Congratulations to the couple from [Full Server First Kill] for entering the happy married zone (*/ω＼*)
Yin Ren: [Apple]
There were wild apples in the mountains too, mostly small and sour, pecked at by birds and full of pits, so Yin Ren rarely ate them. The villagers of Yin Village weren’t wealthy, and any palatable fruits had long been dug up and cultivated by the villagers. The remaining fruits were either bitter or poisonous, with a fishy, astringent taste.
But the villagers would offer him sweet and delicious apples, the aroma of which was absent in mountain fruits and less cloying than cold pastries. Yin Ren always saved them for last.
After waking up in the modern world, Yin Ren was surprised to find that apples could be prepared in so many ways—apple chips, candied apples, apple soda, apple jam desserts, baked apples, and more.
The Ghost King, who was used to eating raw and cold food, now enjoyed them immensely.
※ “Apples have a lively, festive feel!” Yin Ren said, crunching on a candied apple.
Zhong Chengshuo: [Apple]
That was the first bite of food Zhong Chengshuo tasted in the human world. Strictly speaking, his action couldn’t be called eating, nor was his sense of taste normal. But this act of taking food into his body through a crack, coupled with the food’s strange flavor, deeply shocked the bizarre black rabbit.
Later, the words spoken unintentionally by the Great Celestial Master were taken as a wish. Ever since Zhong Chengshuo started living on his own, his fridge never lacked fresh apples, and there was always a bright red one on his table.
Zhong Chengshuo attributed his preference for apples to a kind of “imprinting”—in more ways than one.
Apples are the best fruit. Zhong Chengshuo firmly believed this—fresh apples and apple juice were his favorite fruit-flavored foods. It wasn’t until he started living with Yin Ren that he began trying other forms of apples.
※ Zhong Chengshuo: “Apples are good for your health.”
~~~
“Ready?” Zhong Chengshuo asked seriously.
“Ready.” Yin Ren touched the blindfold covering his eyes, his tone equally serious.
Zhong Chengshuo took a deep breath and picked up the small plate in front of him—the dining table was neatly lined with sixteen small round plates, each holding a perfectly sliced piece of apple with a toothpick.
“Sample number one.” Zhong Chengshuo speared an apple slice and carefully brought it to Yin Ren’s mouth.
The latter bit down, quickly chewed, and swallowed. “Seven points. Next.”
“Sample number two.” Zhong Chengshuo swiftly recorded the score and picked up the second plate.
“Eight points.”
“Sample number three.”
“Ugh, this one’s tasteless… two points, no more!”
…
“Why don’t you try them yourself?” After the tasting, Yin Ren asked, biting into an apple slice.
“I’m not good at tasting, and the flavors would linger in my mouth, making it hard for me to judge objectively,” Zhong Chengshuo replied as he organized the score sheet. “You can completely absorb them without interference.”
“But the flavors I like might not be to your taste.” Yin Ren mumbled, “I don’t want you to go out of your way to accommodate me.”
“No, what you give me is always the best,” Zhong Chengshuo stated firmly.
“Always the best.”
Yin Ren blinked and broke into a bright smile.
“So are you.” He bit into a piece of fruit and pressed it against his lover’s lips.
2024/2/14
Couple’s Pajama Party
Valentine’s Day, of course, calls for a grand pajama reveal (?
And favorite intimate acts (???
~Yin Ren~
[Self-made red gauze clothing] formed from Yin Ren’s own power that’s almost imperceptible. Not that the Ghost King wants to display his majesty, he just refuses to change clothes twice a day.
※ So, does this count as naked sleeping? Yin Ren ponders.
~Zhong Chengshuo~
[Blue-striped pajama set] The ultimate standard pure cotton striped pajamas, with even more standard round buttons. Zhong Chengshuo has seven sets, changing daily. The fabric emits a clean laundry detergent scent.
[Boxer briefs] so ordinary it brings tears to your eyes. It’s surprisingly comfortable since it’s made of cotton. Comrade Xiao Zhong carefully checked all fabric parameters.
[Nightcap] A classic pointed nightcap with a pom-pom.
※ Zhong Youde once brought home an illustrated fairy tale book. After reading, the young Zhong Chengshuo firmly believed a nightcap was an essential sleep accessory.
Whether awake or asleep, skin contact enhances a person’s sense of happiness.
If possible, Zhong Chengshuo would try every means to grab a warm wing orb to keep with him. If possible, Yin Ren would try every means to stuff a warm winged orb over. Shian employees always find a suspicious black line between the two.
“Don’t bother,” Minister Fu Xingchuan tiredly says. “That’s the red thread of their marriage. Just pretend it’s so red it turned black.”
2024/1/1
Magical Summoning Abilities
New Year’s Mysterious Magic☆ Couple Summoning Technique~10 Seconds Guaranteed~ The effect is magical, comparable to spatial teleportation!
Yin Ren’s magic: Release a winged orb near Zhong Chengshuo.
Magic effect: The orb will be accurately captured by Zhong Chengshuo, firmly embraced.
※ “I captured him,” Yin Ren confidently states.
Zhong Chengshuo’s magic: Place a plate of freshly fried chicken in a ventilated area of the house.
Magic effect: Within three seconds, Yin Ren appears next to the fried chicken.
※ For some reason, the health expert Comrade Xiao Zhong’s cooking skills for fried chicken keeps getting better and better.
2023/10/31
Got A Pumpkin
~Yin Ren’s Pumpkin~
“Zhong Ge, let’s go out and play!” Yin Ren suggested joyfully. “Many people are dressing up strangely today. We can’t lose out.”
He got a particularly large pumpkin, hollowed it out meticulously, then stuffed Yellow Millet inside. The Great Celestial Master reverted to his usual red attire and sat on the pumpkin. The Yellow Millet pumpkin began to sway and flew up.
“Look, it can even glow manually!”
Yin Ren flew around the room, patting the pumpkin. Yellow Millet let out a puff and a light appeared inside the pumpkin.
“Very impressive,” Zhong Chengshuo said seriously. “Will Shian be okay with this?”
“Don’t worry, everyone will think it’s a magic prop.”
“Well…um…can I sit on it?”
“Of course!”
※: Zhong Chengshuo was on edge, ready to answer questions. But to his surprise, everyone indeed thought it was a magic prop.
~Zhong Chengshuo’s Pumpkin~
Zhong Chengshuo stared at the pumpkin on the table for almost ten minutes.
Yin Ren’s costume was all set, but he had no ideas. Comrade Xiao Zhong had always lacked experience in “going against the norm”.
Yin Ren said it should be weird… Yin Ren said it should be a bit scary… The theme was pumpkin…
That evening when they went out, Zhong Chengshuo was dressed as usual, but with an orange-red pumpkin the size of a fist on his head.
Facing Yin Ren’s puzzled gaze, Zhong Chengshuo firmly stated, “I put the pumpkin on my head, then control my muscles and movements, so it won’t fall…weird, scary, and the theme is pumpkin.”
Yin Ren reached out and adjusted the pumpkin slightly, then suddenly kissed Zhong Chengshuo’s cheek. The latter blushed slightly causing his body to move a bit, but his head remained as steady as if nailed in the air.
Yin Ren: “…Pfft!”
Yin Ren: “Trust me, you’ll be a hit!”
※: It was crowded at night. With Zhong Chengshuo’s odd maneuver of keeping his head stationary while dodging with his body, he successfully made a dozen people scream.
2023/10/04
Late Mid-Autumn Festival? National Day? Short joke~(*/ω＼*)
Everyone’s Belongings
Yin Ren’s personal items:
◆ Shian Employee ID: A very important identification card, the sad label of a wage worker.
※ Even more importantly, wearing it grants access to Shian’s cafeteria!
◆ Dog Thing: Serving both as a mobile phone and pseudo-AI, Yin Ren sometimes delegates some trivial text work to it.
※ Even though it’s a metaphysical life form with research value, it acts just like ChatGPT…
◆ Gold ring: A wedding ring and undoubtedly Yin Ren’s most treasured item over the past few thousand years.
※ He secretly takes it off to admire it during idle times and occasionally flaunts it to some lost spirits.
~Zhong Chengshuo’s personal items~
◆ Shian Employee ID: A very important identity proof, a waiver for certain research activities.
※ Yin Ren secretly drew a black rabbit wearing glasses on the back of Zhong Chengshuo’s ID.
◆ Red baseball cap: When wandering in unfamiliar environments and eating out with Yin Ren, sometimes it’s necessary to cover Yin Ren’s overly conspicuous face.
※ It’s strange, Yin Ren looks like a trendy store model when wearing it, but when he wears it, he’s often teased by Huang Jin for resembling a psychotic killer. Maybe it’s because of the look in his eyes?
◆ Gold ring: A wedding ring, a testament to a blissful marriage.
※ Every morning when Zhong Chengshuo wakes up, he can’t help but gaze at the ring for a few seconds. He cherishes the warm feeling it brings.
2023/08/22
Qixi Scheduled! Perfect to rate everyone’s culinary skills~☆
~Yin Ren’s Culinary Skills~
Overall rating: ★☆
Strengths: Edible and not bad.
Weaknesses: Loves to explore new things… uh, you have to give an ancient evil(?) time to learn…
※ Zhong Chengshuo: “Don’t add too much oyster sauce and soy sauce at the same time… Ah, don’t add more salt…”
~Zhong Chengshuo’s Culinary Skills~
Overall rating: ★★★☆
Strengths: Excellent learning ability, inherited the true essence of Father Zhong’s kitchen.
Weaknesses: Overly focuses on health, often at the expense of flavor.
※ “I will definitely corrupt him!” Yin Ren is very determined.
2023/05/30
Indulging in “Tears of the Kingdom” led to postponement of the mini… A small corner of everyone’s daily life!
Two sets of changeable clothes, a laptop, a power bank, disinfectants, energy bars, an umbrella, an emergency light, a compass, climbing rope…
Zhong Chengshuo stood by the bed, repeatedly confirming the items in his suitcase while ticking them off on his phone’s memo. Yin Ren had just taken a hot shower and was walking out, drying his hair with a towel. Seeing the increasingly absurd content of the luggage, he remained silent, unusually, for a couple of seconds.
“Zhong Ge, we’re just going to the neighboring city.”
“I know,” Zhong Chengshuo answered seriously.
“And it’s not a business trip, or a battle. We’re just going on vacation.”
“I know.”
“There’s currently no threat to us. If there’s any emergency, we can instantly go straight home using the gaps.”
“I know.” Zhong Chengshuo’s tone remained unchanged.
“So why is there climbing rope?” Yin Ren tried to maintain his smile. They were merely planning to attend a music festival in another city. But by Zhong Chengshuo’s packing, it seemed like they were embarking on a dangerous mission in the wilderness.
“This is my first time actively deciding to travel.”
“So?”
“It’s not for sampling, not a mission taken by ‘King Yama’, and not for Shian’s work,” Zhong Chengshuo elaborated. “Last time I traveled short distance, an authority provided clear advice. This time, there’s none.”
“So, you’re packing based on the last trip?”
“Last time was a spring outing organized by my elementary school.” Zhong Chengshuo might as well have written “Are you sure?” on his face.
Yin Ren: “…Let’s just forget about that.”
“You haven’t been to a music festival either. It’s a completely new experience, so we need to be fully prepared.”
Yin Ren picked up the hefty climbing rope and weighed it in his hand. “Hmm, let’s look at it from a different perspective.”
Zhong Chengshuo paused in his packing.
“You’ve played those games where you’re limited in starting equipment, right?” Yin Ren said persuasively. “Consider this a challenge, an adventure with limited items. It’s so exciting! This is truly a new experience.”
Even if they were managing their own luggage, Yin Ren didn’t want to see such absurd items in his sight. For heaven’s sake, they were going to have fun!
Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brows, clearly pondering the suggestion. After about half a minute, he nodded, and began to repack.
Problem solved. Yin Ren quickly pecked Zhong Chengshuo’s cheek, sighing in relief. “I’ll go blow dry my hair.”
The next day, Yin Ren stared in disbelief at the bulging suitcase before him.
Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo’s face with great interest.
Zhong Chengshuo’s features remained the same. He currently wasn’t wearing glasses, dressed in a long black robe, and his temporary long hair was loosely tied at the back of his head. At a glance, he didn’t look like a science post but rather like some wicked creature dug out of a coffin.
It had been twelve years since the Divine Descent, but Zhong Chengshuo’s physical age hadn’t continued to increase. According to Zhong Chengshuo himself, this was probably related to his awakened “God” ability. In the first few years, it was manageable, but when they had to go on missions, the two of them had to undergo certain disguises—
Beside Zhong Chengshuo, who had lost his glasses, Yin Ren’s long hair was transformed into short hair, and his red eyes were covered with a layer of brown. This person now looked like an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old, dressed in a red pullover, exuding a youthful vibe that shouldn’t exist.
Their appearances hadn’t changed much, and they couldn’t fool familiar faces. However, it was more than enough for a joint investigation with Shian.
Just a few days ago, Yandu had initiated a collaboration request.
A highly dangerous group of evil beings had appeared in a cave on the outskirts of Yandu. The interior of the cave was complex, with numerous branching paths, and they didn’t have enough experts to handle it. Coincidentally, the Haigu Branch was dealing with a major case and desperately wished they had eight hands each. The department heads couldn’t leave, so the two troublemakers became the best choice.
At this moment, the two troublemakers were sitting in a corner of the cave, taking a rest. It didn’t take long for two young special agents to approach them.
“This is our first time participating in a joint investigation. We haven’t seen you before, Linnan… No, the Haigu Branch, right?” The girl with short hair asked curiously.
“Are you a corpse servant? The corpse is well-preserved, just like a living person.” A bald young man pointed to Zhong Chengshuo.
Comrade Xiao Zhong had always had an expressionless face, but without his glasses to buffer it, his black eyes became somewhat intimidating. Sitting properly in the corner, he did seem lifeless.
Yin Ren suppressed his smile and coughed. Zhong Chengshuo slowly turned his head and extended a stiff hand towards the bald man. The bald man shook hands in response and exclaimed, “Can a corpse shake hands? …Holy shit, it’s warm?!”
He stumbled in place, almost falling.
“We are indeed from the Haigu Branch. Call me Xiao Yin, and this is my partner, Zhong Ge,” Yin Ren introduced seriously. “He has a rather special sense of humor.”
Zhong Chengshuo nodded in agreement with a serious expression.
The bald man rubbed the goosebumps on his body. “Oh… by the way, it’s my first time working with the Haigu Branch. I haven’t seen the department head in person yet.”
“Something happened, and there isn’t enough manpower,” Yin Ren said truthfully.
“We are partners from the Yandu Branch; our names and ranks are here.” The girl with short hair patted her chest, where her name tag was. “It’s a pity. I heard that the minister of the Haigu Branch is particularly formidable. I haven’t seen them in person yet.”
“Which minister? I remember Haigu has two senior departments,” the bald man interjected.
“It must be Director Huang from the Emergency Management Department. I remember the Special Management Department of Haigu isn’t allowed to go on missions… but I’ve heard that the two ministers of the Special Management Department are very strong, and they’re both women.” The girl with short hair showed a fascinated expression.
“Yes, they are indeed strong.”
Yin Ren recalled Lu Xiaohe roaring at him and Ge Tingting constantly challenging him to practice—ever since the higher-ups at Haigu found out about his identity, only the members of Special Investigation Unit 9 dared to treat him like that.
“Speaking of which, it would be great if Director Huang could come,” the girl with short hair sighed. “Xiao Yin, have you met him? I heard from a friend at Haigu that Director Huang is handsome and has a special melancholic aura.”
Yin Ren: “…He is quite melancholic.” Probably because he hadn’t submitted his resignation for ten years.
During private gatherings of the former Special Investigation Unit 9, Huang Jin would start crying when he drank too much.
He would cry about wanting to provide the best support for his wife and needing to earn money. Then he would cry about wanting to give his wife and child a top-tier life, and he still needed to earn money. As time passed, the tearful Huang Jin became a minister, but he never managed to resign successfully—his “God summoning” ability was so rare that the higher-ups arranged an elite detective as his partner for the science post just to deal with his file issues.
At this rate, Minister Huang would definitely be working until retirement.
“Well, I thought I could see Minister Huang this time…”
“Isn’t our Minister Fu good enough?” The bald man glanced at his own partner. “That Huang is almost forty, while Minister Fu is in his early thirties. It’s obvious who has the advantage.”
“Not the same.” The girl with short hair vigorously shook her head. “Our Minister Fu has too strong of an aura, as if he had seen the world. He feels like an old man in his eighties or nineties, just one step away from reaching enlightenment.”
Zhong Chengshuo, who was reading a book on his phone, lifted his head at the sound, and a trace of astonishment flashed across his face.
“People can change so much?” he whispered in a low voice.
His impression of Fu Tianyi was still stuck on the arrogant youth who liked to pick fights.
“It’s probably some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder,” Yin Ren casually remarked. “We caused him quite a lot of trauma.”
“Really?”
“Just a guess…”
The two of them hadn’t finished whispering when the cave suddenly trembled. Rocks fell from the ceiling, creating a clattering sound and kicking up countless dust. Bone-chilling cold air blew out from the depths of the cave, and mist crawled along the ground, gradually engulfing the feet of the people present.
In the dark corners at both ends of the cave, hundreds of red lights lit up one by one. The fierce spirits almost materialized, causing a suffocating sensation even from a far distance, as if they were being swallowed by a swamp.
“What’s going on?! With so few people assigned, isn’t this route relatively safe?” The bald man’s face turned pale.
“They’re targeting the team with fewer people first. Maybe it’s highly intelligent evil spirits,” the girl with short hair said with a serious expression as she tapped her earpiece. “Hey, Minister, anomaly in corridor 31! Requesting backup!”
“What’s the situation?” Fu Tianyi’s voice came from the other end of the earpiece.
“There are confirmed to be over a hundred high-level evil spirits surrounding us. In the team, there are 8 people from Yandu, 2 from Haigu, and 2 from Linnan. Requesting backup!”
There was silence on the other end of the earpiece.
“Minister?”
“You just said there are two people from Haigu?” Fu Tianyi’s voice carried a strange numbness.
“Yes, Xiao Yin and Xiao Zhong…”
“Then it’s fine.” Fu Tianyi dryly laughed. “Take care of it yourselves. Even if I die, nothing will happen to you guys.”
“What—” Before the girl with short hair could finish her sentence, her body swayed.
In an instant, only two out of the twelve members of the team were left standing. The others lay scattered on the ground in various positions, sound asleep. Only the girl with short hair managed to prop herself up, panting heavily. “What… happened… Why did you suddenly… attack your teammates…”
“Yandu indeed has talented individuals. Ordinary spells can’t knock them out.” Crouching down, Yin Ren patted the girl with short hair on the head. “You must be a high-level science post, with a promising future.”
“You guys…”
Yin Ren smiled faintly; his brown eyes fading to crimson. “Anyway, that kid Fu Tianyi will handle the aftermath. Just don’t run around.”
The girl with short hair lifted her eyelids and stared intently at the two “traitors”.
Yin Ren didn’t say anything more. He took out an old-fashioned mobile phone and entered something on the screen. The next moment, two figures clad in red and white robes, exuding a dense aura of blood, appeared beside him. They were wrapped in black chains, floating in mid-air.
The girl with short hair swallowed nervously. She knew how exceptional she was, and if she, as an outstanding science post, could see them, then they must be extremely dangerous fierce spirits with physical forms.
And those two young specters, covered in multiple layers of chains, were clearly…
“Xiang Jiang, Xiang Hai. Protect all living beings and do not fail.” Yin Ren’s voice turned extremely cold. A wave of pressure surged through the cave, causing even the distant swarm of evil spirits to retreat.
“Yes,” one of the ghosts responded indifferently.
Yin Ren snorted and turned around.
“Zhong Ge, let’s see who can catch more,” he said to Zhong Chengshuo, his eyes shining with a playful smile, as if the previous pressure was just an illusion.
“I’ll take this side,” Zhong Chengshuo said while holding a dagger in his right hand and the Karma Lantern in his left. His long hair slid down, almost covering half of his face, and he fumbled for two seconds, which was rare for him.
“Then I’ll choose this side. The loser cleans up.” Yin Ren tugged on the Yellow Millet pendant hanging from his phone and winked at Zhong Chengshuo. “Get ready—begin!”
The two of them turned into two blurry figures and instantly merged into the darkness.
The girl with short hair: “…”
The following scene was more like a one-sided slaughter than a battle.
In less than two seconds, the murmurs of the evil spirits turned into screams, and neither group of evil beings dared to approach the center. With the flying flesh and blood of the evil spirits, they fled in opposite directions, leaving trails of urine and excrement in their wake. The two individuals completely disregarded their partner’s combat techniques and chased after them alone. The nearby mist dissipated rapidly, and all she could see were the red lights growing further and further away.
What’s going on? Weren’t they partners? Can science posts really charge into the frontline like this? …She couldn’t understand. Which one of them was the science post!
The cave quickly returned to tranquility. Near the unconscious teammates, there were only two ghosts floating silently.
She suddenly felt that it would be better to faint. This must all be an illusion. She had seen Minister Fu personally in battle, and these two guys had surpassed the capabilities of humans.
Unfortunately, before the girl with short hair could faint, those two things, which she didn’t know what they were, returned.
“518,” Yin Ren announced with excitement.
He lazily leaned on Yellow Millet; his clothes without a speck of dirt.
“517.” Zhong Chengshuo gestured.
“That’s not all. You definitely hid some samples,”
Zhong Chengshuo grabbed the tips of his hair and averted his gaze.
“Quickly tell me where you hid them. I’ll cover for you later.” Yin Ren squeezed Zhong Chengshuo’s face with both hands. “Fu Tianyi isn’t like Fu Xingchuan. He’s very indecisive in this aspect. With so many people here, we need to be prepared in advance.”
“Um, we shouldn’t break the rules together… I can handle it myself…” Zhong Chengshuo struggled to speak.
“I’ve talked to Fu Xingchuan. There won’t be a problem. Shian won’t be able to confiscate them.” Yin Ren increased the strength in his hands.
“Fu Xingchuan is traveling abroad. There’s a time difference…”
“I’ll wake him up during the interval.”
Ah, it really was an illusion. The girl with short hair revealed a weak smile and successfully fainted.
In any case, the atmosphere gradually calmed down, and it was safe here.
And it would remain safe for a long time.
The author has something to say:
As usual, a small reminder: I don’t welcome comments from pirated readers who only buy the “Extra” or “Specific Chapters”. In that case, I will randomly issue warnings depending on the situation. Writing a long novel isn’t easy, so if you like it, please support the official version, where you get thousands of words for only 30 cents on the app.
——————
Thank you all for your support and understanding along the way—
This book turned out to be longer than planned, and there were three major real-life upheavals during the later stages, with battles at work and the double impact of COVID-19, which somewhat affected my writing state. There’s no other way; next time, I’ll just have to save more drafts (^ρ^)/
Actually, each book is an attempt at something new, and this one made me realize my shortcomings, so I will continue to work hard!
——————
The next book, “Full Server First Kill”, is a pseudo MMORPG-style Western fantasy adventure and leveling story. It is tentatively planned to start in the first half of the year~
Pre-orders are available in the column, so if you’re interested, you can start collecting them—
Once again, thank you for supporting the official version! See you in the next book ☆
Kinky Thoughts:
This marks the end of the novel.
I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can used Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works, especially works like this that are extremely long, well thought out, and well written. It really doesn’t cost much.
I’m quite excited to read Nian Zhong’s latest work (a throwback to Stray with western fantasy)… so I picked it up. You can read it here: Full Server First Kill.
Once again, thank you everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations.
If you have become a fan of Nian Zhong, do check out her other works that I have worked on. You won’t be disappointed.
Finally I do have one last treat. This is an extra extra from the author’s blog where she writes mini updates for her characters (usually on special holidays). It’s not officially on jjwxc, but I’ve decided to translate it. She usually updates this yearly, so check back each year on those special days for a new update.
The streets were filled with the lingering scent of fireworks, and scraps of red paper were scattered everywhere, mixed with melted snow. From a distance, it looked like a pile of spring petals.
Every household was rushing to stock up on goods for the final day. The fragrances of cakes, sweets, nuts, and roasted snacks permeated the air, as people crowded the streets, trampling on the remnants of snow. The atmosphere in the streets and alleys was lively, and even the cold of early spring couldn’t freeze the excitement.
Celebrating New Year’s was a tradition that existed even before the founding of Great Yun, and even though the people later worshiped the Imperial Celestial, the festive atmosphere didn’t diminish.
Outside the Imperial Preceptor’s residence, lanterns were also hung up in line with the prevailing custom. Behind the crimson gate, there was no trace of a festive atmosphere.
As a loyal follower of the Imperial Celestial, the atmosphere of celebration in Jiang Youyue’s residence was practically nonexistent. However, the Imperial Preceptor had always been magnanimous and didn’t interfere with the people’s self-celebration. He didn’t care if a maid put on festive hairpins or if a servant wore new clothes.
He had few concerns, and Shi Jingzhi’s whereabouts were the most important among them.
“So he did go to the Mishan Sect. What’s the situation over there?”
Jiang Youyue tended to the bonsai on the shrine, calmly listening to the report from his subordinate.
“He made contact with Chen Qianfan of the Mishan Sect.”
“Chen Qianfan? That’s a character. Back then, he nosed around everywhere and almost discovered the location of the Ghost Tomb… Hm, it’s not surprising that he sought out Chen Qianfan after returning from Huilian Mountain. It seems that the boy is very interested in the ban.”
The subordinate, also dressed in ceremonial attire and wearing a mask of worship, spoke.
“We just don’t know if he intends to break the ban or seal away his memories. The Mishan Sect prefers to have limited direct contact with outsiders. Master, if we intervene recklessly, it may arouse suspicion.”
Jiang Youyue carefully pruned the bonsai’s unruly branches before slowly turning around. “It doesn’t matter. If he intends to break the formation, the Mishan Sect doesn’t need to intervene for us to find out.”
“The Queen of Milan’s Arcane Arts is still in the North. If Jingzhi were to break it and uncover the clues—”
“So what if he discovers something? Remember, this matter depends on his destiny. We just need to wait quietly for the outcome. If he bears a heavenly mission, then we can intervene. If he is just another ‘problem’, we will deal with it as we have in the past.”
The young subordinate hesitated to speak.
“Master, this disciple still believes that while success depends on fate, planning is necessary. The Queen of Milan was intelligent and resourceful, while Yan Budu was proud and talented. Both of them tended towards perfection but stopped at the final step. As for Shi Jingzhi…”
“There’s no need to worry needlessly. Let’s discuss it again in a few days. If he truly intends to break the ban, I will tell you then. How about the progress with his disciple? Have you found anything?”
“There is nothing significant at the moment.”
“Hmm, let’s keep an eye on it. As long as the ‘Great Ban’ in the northwest is still there, even if Shi Jingzhi takes King Yan as his disciple, it won’t change his fate.”
“Yes.”
A thousand miles away, in the desolate North.
The group returned to Chen Qianfan’s residence, and the sky had completely darkened.
Chen Qianfan sat down on a stool and poured himself a pot of hot tea. He rubbed his beard, and it took a while for Shi Jingzhi’s words to register in his ears. “Huh? You said you want to break the ban?”
“…Yes.” Shi Jingzhi’s tone was quite solemn.
“Well, you’re quite in line with my temperament, kid. But in that case, things will be a bit difficult. If you just want to make a disaster warding talisman for that girl, cutting off a piece of corpse will be enough. But to break the ban, you’ll need at least three ancient corpses.”
Chen Qianfan grumbled as he stood up and pounded his old waist.
“The arrangement of the formation for breaking the ban is also quite troublesome. Ah, come to think of it, it’s quite a hassle. It’ll take at least ten days to finish…”
Shi Jingzhi: “Senior Chen, I’ve been wanting to ask, why is it necessary to use ancient corpses as materials? Are there any alternative substitutes?”
Chen Qianfan glanced at him and then spoke slowly.
“Whenever it comes to spells and magic formations, you need the bodies of monsters as materials for casting them. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Some living creatures naturally possess much greater qi than others, and they are called ‘monsters’ in the world. In fact, the world is filled with spiritual qi, and some living creatures naturally absorb more qi, resulting in their transformation into monsters. When a monster dies and its body decays into mud, it still contains abundant qi. Based on this, spells can be cast. The more intelligent the monster, the better the effect of its corpse.”
Chen Qianfan slowly flipped through his record book.
“The same principle applies to humans. Humans are also living creatures, and they possess the most abundant qi. That’s why I need the ancient corpses from that Arcane Arts.”
No wonder Chen Qianfan said he was “good material”.
“That’s right. The ancient corpses in that Arcane Arts are excellent ‘monsters’ and the most effective materials for casting spells. However, it is taboo to kill people for materials, which is the first iron rule of the Mishan Sect. So, I can only use human corpses.”
With that, Chen Qianfan smiled meaningfully.
“In this world, there are no rootless trees or water without source. Spells and magic formations, which go against the natural order, have an effect that is only fifty percent efficient and consume at least three times the energy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spent thirty years studying the immortal body.”
Shi Jingzhi fell into contemplation, and Yin Ci lowered his gaze, remaining silent.
However, this subtle atmosphere didn’t last long.
Shi Zhongyu didn’t have the leisure to ponder magical theories. Ever since she heard, “It’ll take at least ten days to finish,” a worried expression appeared on her face.
She could wait, but her sect couldn’t. If they delayed for another ten days, there was a possibility that she wouldn’t be able to make it in time for the Seventh Day after the funeral of the sect leader of Taiheng.
Shi Jingzhi noticed her anxious gaze. “It will only take a few days to obtain the corpse pieces. Human lives are at stake. Miss Shi, you should return to Taiheng first.”
Shi Zhongyu didn’t take advantage of the situation. “In that case, how will Sect Master Shi return to the Central Plains?”
“I’ll make an arrangement with Miss Shi for half a month. I’ll send my disciple to assist you in obtaining the materials. After half a month, Miss Shi will come back with the Arrow Horses to pick us up. How does that sound?”
Shi Zhongyu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a hint of gratitude appeared in her expression. “Thank you, Sect Master Shi.”
Su Si hugged Lord Bai tightly, his complexion almost as pale as the goose’s feathers. “Do we have to stay here for another half a month?”
This place was barren, with nothing but snow outside the window. Su Si had only been here for one day, and he felt completely idle. On top of that, Yan Qing’s sword practice had reached a state of obsession, and no matter where he practiced, he would lose himself in it. After joining the Kushan Sect, his days became increasingly desolate.
Shi Zhongyu quickly mediated, saying, “Our sect has a temporary resting point in Twin Rivers. I will have someone waiting there early. We won’t actually be delayed for half a month.”
Su Si sighed. “I’m not targeting Senior Shi… Sect Master. Today is New Year’s Eve. If we calculate like this, we won’t be able to enter the city until before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month?”
Shi Jingzhi: “…”
Shi Jingzhi turned pale with shock. “New Year’s Eve is already here? Wasn’t it supposed to be seven or eight more days?”
It wasn’t surprising that Sect Master Shi didn’t realize it. With just the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect, one facing a life-and-death decision and the other already living without knowing which day it was, they almost forgot that there were still joyful events in the world. Only Su Si, with his carefree nature, remained alert.
Moreover, Chen Qianfan’s place lacked any festive atmosphere. It was to be expected, as Chen Qianfan had the appearance of a carefree recluse. He wouldn’t pay attention to any of that.
Poor Su Si had been crawling and struggling at the bottom of the martial world. He longed for a bit of festivity in his daily life, but now he couldn’t even hear a single firecracker.
Granny Wei came forward to refill the tea, and upon hearing this, she smiled and said, “There are so many young people here. Why don’t we celebrate New Year’s as well? I’ll make a couple more dishes for dinner. I even sewed a new jacket, but Mr. Chen doesn’t like wearing it…”
Chen Qianfan stroked his bread a few times and said indifferently, “It’s up to you. I don’t care.”
‘Anyway, he will forget everything by tomorrow,’ Yin Ci thought.
He looked at Shi Jingzhi, knowing that his cheap master loved lively events. He happened to be facing a decision that concerned his life so he certainly wouldn’t want to miss such a festival.
Sure enough, Shi Jingzhi’s serious expression disappeared.
He walked a few steps and stood in front of Su Si, saying earnestly, “So what if we can’t enter the city? How can our sect not celebrate New Year’s?”
Seeing Shi Jingzhi’s expression, Yin Ci finally felt relieved. “Yan Qing, go decorate the room, and I’ll help Granny Wei prepare the food.”
Granny Wei’s eyes became a little moist, and she became almost jubilant. “Good, good. We still have some leftover flower petals from a few days ago. I’ll use them to dye some paper and make paper-cut window decorations. Oh, New Year’s should be lively.”
Chen Qianfan snorted a few times but didn’t say anything.
Anyway, they had to play with the Arcane Arts at daybreak, so they might as well do something at night, which would be considered a combination of work and rest.
Although Shi Jingzhi wasn’t the type to shy away from anything, unfortunately, his role in this matter was equivalent to that of Lord Bai. Shi Jingzhi, as the sect master, couldn’t contribute much and was assigned to observe Chen Qianfan’s research on magical arts—even Su Si, who could mince meat, could at least help with making dumplings.
Whether it was due to self-awareness or simply laziness, Shi Jingzhi remained silent and walked past the boundary in the front hall, plunging into the chaotic side. In no time, Sect Master Shi and Elder Chen were whispering to each other, even getting physical.
Yin Ci carefully watched for a moment, making sure there was no trace of gloom on Shi Jingzhi’s face, before withdrawing his gaze.
Throughout the journey back, he felt that Shi Jingzhi had gained an unusual heaviness, but perhaps this was just his imagination.
Time passed quickly.
They hadn’t planned for an extravagant New Year’s celebration; just a festive atmosphere would suffice. Unexpectedly, just as they finished decorating the windows and cooking the dumplings, Shi Jingzhi, who had initiated the whole thing, left Chen Qianfan’s side and went out alone.
Yin Ci patted off the flour from his hands and followed along openly.
Shi Jingzhi’s emotions had been unstable regarding life and death matters. At this moment, when it was the liveliest time in the mortal realm, he was left in the northern region, carrying an unknown amount of pressure on his shoulders. It wasn’t impossible for him to lose control.
He had to keep a close eye on Shi Jingzhi.
Outside the door, the accumulated snow remained a dull blue, covering the ground and spreading to the horizon. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and sporadic snowflakes fell, obscuring the stars and moon.
Shi Jingzhi stood in the windowless room, surrounded by emptiness, and turned to look at Yin Ci. “A’Ci, you really followed me.”
Yin Ci didn’t tease him. “Your decision isn’t insignificant, and it is difficult for ordinary people to make such a choice. Who knows how the addiction will act up? From what I know, someone is an expert in self-harm.”
“I promised you that I would no longer harm myself.” Shi Jingzhi wasn’t annoyed. “As your master, when I make a promise, I keep it.”
Yin Ci stared at him for a moment. “If you want some peace and quiet…”
“No, stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”
Shi Jingzhi smiled sincerely.
“This might be my last New Year, and I really want to celebrate it properly. Tomorrow, on the first day of the first lunar month, we’ll start studying the Arcane Arts. It’s also in line with the occasion.”
Yin Ci didn’t respond to his playful remark. “Stop talking nonsense. Next year, I’ll take you to Yidu to celebrate the New Year. They have the liveliest lantern festival there.”
Shi Jingzhi’s gaze gradually softened. “Alright, Master approves.”
Immediately after, he exhaled heavily and took out an object from his pocket.
“But we should still celebrate this New Year properly. A’Ci, watch closely.”
With a flicker of flame, he ignited something with a sizzling sound.
Then, that thing exploded directly in Shi Jingzhi’s arms.
Yin Ci’s scalp went numb in an instant, almost startled to the point of exploding as well. That explosive force was no joke. If things went wrong, half of his face might have been blown to pieces.
His mind reacted before his body. He swiftly moved to grab Shi Jingzhi. This time, he didn’t have time to coordinate his movements, and his qinggong didn’t look too graceful. It even seemed a bit awkward.
“Just when I said no self-harm, are you trying to commit suicide to show me?”
Yin Ci anxiously checked for injuries, almost about to roar.
As the thick smoke dispersed, Shi Jingzhi’s face was blackened by the fumes, but his skin remained unscathed. Yin Ci finally breathed a sigh of relief, only to see him smiling innocently.
“You—”
There was a sharp crack.
In the silent night sky, a golden light soared from Shi Jingzhi’s arms, shooting up into the sky, then exploding into a dazzling display of golden fireworks. Golden sparks scattered beneath the dark clouds, momentarily illuminating the sky, and the familiar scent of fireworks filled the air.
It was a rough firework, imposing and dazzling.
“I’ve seen people do it in Yidu. I won’t hurt myself. But since it’s the first time, I wanted to test the effect. I knew A’Ci would follow me, so I secretly wanted to show it to you.”
Shi Jingzhi chuckled.
“Do you care about me that much?”
This little brat even knew how to imitate him. Yin Ci released the other’s wrist with a stern face. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Shi Jingzhi’s gaze became complicated.
Although the mysteries grew heavier, the grudge he held in his heart about his dusty fate dissipated completely at this moment.
Yin Ci still hadn’t told him the reasons behind revealing his identity to Shi Zhongyu today. With their shared secret now public, there was indeed a trace of melancholy remaining in Shi Jingzhi’s heart.
However, now it seemed that Shi Zhongyu was different from him—
Perhaps Yin Ci himself wasn’t aware of it. In that instant when the fireworks ignited, Yin Ci was far from being composed and lacked the demeanor of an elder. Unlike the time in the forbidden area, he lost that air of superiority and leaped away in a clumsy, panicked manner.
In just a moment, Shi Jingzhi’s heart seemed to stop, and in the vast world, only the faint sound of the fireworks bursting remained.
Perhaps Yin Ci would never know.
He would never know what kind of solace he had received on this lonely, cold night amidst countless dark unknowns.
Suddenly, Shi Jingzhi wasn’t so afraid anymore.
The author has something to say:
Remember to be safe when setting off fireworks! Don’t imitate Fox Shi; it’s not safe—
The two leaders quickly returned to the conversation after reading about the Borna virus. They knew very little about the Darna Rainforest, yet their faces turned pale with a sense of foreboding.
“Commander Xing, if it weren’t for the recent vote, I’d think you were joking with us.”
“Even with the vote, I’d still think you were joking,” said the other.
“Isn’t the drug enough? Now there’s a virus?”
“How did they get such strong scientific research capabilities?”
“Is this a real existing virus or something out of a fictional novel?”
“Is this scientific?”
The two of them went back and forth.
At this point, a corner of the laptop that Wang Chao was holding flashed. He received an email from a virology expert. He clicked to open it, took a quick glance, and urgently called out, “Boss.”
Xing Conglian turned his head. Wang Chao handed him the laptop, and they both read the entire reply. The letter mentioned several points:
First, The Borna virus does indeed exist.
Second, the materials on the other party’s server come from related literature reviews, which means that every sentence in it can be traced.
Third, However, just because there is evidence doesn’t mean it’s scientific truth. The research on the Borna virus is still very preliminary, and there’s a lot of debate. The material glosses over the opponents’ viewpoints.
When Wang Chao saw this, he felt that the situation was indeed more dangerous than they had imagined.
Xing Conglian also looked up at the same time and said to the two people in the video call, “I’ll answer your two questions. First, I’m not joking. Secondly, the Borna virus does indeed exist.”
Once Xing Conglian said this, both inside and outside the video, everything fell silent. In the video, the two leaders were tongue-tied and found it hard to form sentences.
But since they were elite police forces, they quickly made a judgment by combining existing materials with the key location pointed out by Xing Conglian. Suppressing their inner horror, they spoke calmly.
“The Dana Region has poor medical and health conditions, making it the perfect breeding ground for certain viruses.”
“And the Doctors Without Borders organization, rooted in the rainforest, is the biggest enemy of virus spread.”
“The Republic of Angodo, which borders the Dana rainforest, has gradually improved its health conditions, forming a protective wall against the spread of disease, which is not allowed.”
“This is why they target insurance companies and Doctors Without Borders.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Chao took a deep breath.
The grand plan involved too many considerations and small schemes.
They were careful and discreet, making all motives twist and turn, so it was hard for people to detect the hidden truth behind them.
Therefore, was there anything they overlooked in the matter of Zhourui Pharmaceutical?
Wang Chao looked at Xing Conglian, remembering the unprecedented and incomprehensible acquisition case, and was momentarily lost for words. “Boss, Zhourui…”
Xing Conglian seemed to understand everything at once, and his face showed a look of realization. “The old man said that Zhourui is one of the world’s largest vaccine and blood product manufacturers. They probably want to make a move in this area.”
The morning sun had already risen outside the building, but Wang Chao had never felt colder than he did today.
He looked at the glowing sun and couldn’t help but feel dazzled. He was very tired, having not slept for almost three days and nights.
He was struggling to keep up with the fast pace of the discussion and wanted to stop and chat about the virus in a more casual manner.
He wanted to scream out “Fuck, this is too terrifying!”.
He wanted his boss to give him a playful smack on the head and tell him to shut up. Even such a brief exchange could relieve his current mental pressure.
But now, there was no time.
The leaders, whether in front of him or beside him, didn’t show any signs of panic or fatigue.
They were determined and rational, as if they had not been affected at all.
Each person was doing their best in the area they excelled in, maintaining a high level of concentration and gritting their teeth to persevere.
“But isn’t this a bit too roundabout? If there is a virus, directly dropping it in a densely populated area would surely cause more damage, wouldn’t it?”
Wang Chao subconsciously looked at the computer screen and noticed the heavy red veins in the eyes of the two leaders in the video call.
He bit the flesh in his mouth, forcing himself to refocus. After thinking about it, this was indeed a very poignant question.
His boss didn’t need any of these measures to maintain focused attention and high-speed brain operation. Just glancing at the reply letter written by the virologist, he responded fluently, “The research on the BDV virus is only in its initial stage. What it is, how it infects humans, how it spreads among humans, whether it necessarily leads to schizophrenia—all these are uncertain.”
The two people in the video quickly understood. “The material turns some possibilities into inevitabilities.”
Xing Conglian nodded.
But the two team leaders didn’t feel noticeably relieved. “This also means that perhaps they have made breakthrough progress in the research on the Borna virus.”
“Even if they have, it wouldn’t be too advanced,” Xing Conglian said. “Otherwise, what we’d be facing now is an outbreak.”
“So, they took advantage of the backward medical environment of the Dana rainforest, trying to spread the virus in a primitive and slow way?” The director of the second bureau hesitated.
“Do you think it’s too far?” Xing Conglian saw through his doubt at a glance.
Xing Conglian said, “The Dana Rainforest, The Angodo Republic, who knows where—it’s too far, rarely seen on TV. People are dying there every day because of wars. If something happens, does it have anything to do with us?”
The director of the second bureau was somewhat at a loss for words. “I just feel like it’s a movie, because it’s far away, so it doesn’t feel real.”
“But if you’ve been there, you’d know that, although it’s not quite like us, there are indeed many people there who are, like us, referred to as the human species.”
“I don’t think they’re not human.”
“But that’s the advantage of hiding in backward areas.” Xing Conglian’s voice was very cold, “There, it’s not like our country or any other modern civilization country. There’s not much concept of the value of human life. There are still countless diseases spreading there, and most ordinary people’s views are: Oh, it’s so pitiful, but it’s so far away, it shouldn’t affect us.”
The two team leaders on the video call fell into deep thought.
Xing Conglian didn’t let them off. “Such a concept is inevitable from top to bottom.”
He said, “In 1976, we learned about Ebola, but it took 40 years for a handful of vaccines to enter clinical trials. Why? Of course, because it’s difficult to conquer, but in fact, the peak of vaccine research occurred after a few cases of infection occurred in developed countries. And before that, the real susceptible population was in poor and remote West Africa, where they couldn’t afford the cost of the vaccine. So, if the virus is unlikely to affect us and there is no market prospect or economic benefit, why should we pay attention to it and invest too much manpower and resources in it?”
“This is Ebola, the extremely deadly Ebola that has the same fatality rate as AIDS. Developed countries have a complete medical system and enough manpower and resources, while poor and backward areas are the best breeding grounds for deadly viruses because, for most people, it’s too far away, like a movie.”
That was what Xing Conglian said.
Wang Chao couldn’t help but feel a lump in his throat.
His boss wasn’t born with extraordinary wisdom. These views could only come from the person who had a deep understanding of these issues after a long time fighting on the front lines in the rainforest, and from that person’s dying wish.
That night, he had actually overheard some of their conversation.
Those rambling words, with a bit of roguish demand, kept ringing in his ears.
“The US’s expenditure just on maintaining nuclear submarine patrols is 120 times the entire World Health Organization’s total investment in preventing epidemic diseases.”
“But mankind is actually a community of shared future.”
“Do you have any money to donate to the medical aid organization here?”
“Do you still know any local tycoons who can invest some money in Dana, to help establish a Dana Rainforest Virus Observation Outpost?”
“If such observation points existed at the time, AIDS might not have had a chance to spread out of the African rainforests and kill tens of millions of people worldwide, so it’s quite important.”
Xing Conglian said, “No matter what happens in Dana, it’s hard to attract international attention, let alone allocate resources, send a large number of doctors, research viruses, and develop vaccines. This takes decades…”
“In those decades, the spread of the Borna virus may be enough to change mankind, and in the process, they only need to remove some minor obstacles.”
“So, our selfishness, indifference, irrelevance, and interest-first attitude would ultimately lead to their victory. What’s more mocking than this?”
After the fire at the Yongchuan Christine Cultural Center, two teams were jointly responsible for the follow-up to the Song Shengsheng case.
One was the original special task force, led by the head of the Yongchuan Second Bureau, Jiang Chao’s immediate boss.
The second was a contingent police force that was dispatched to investigate this series of cases after the meeting convened yesterday with Xing Conglian.
The leaders of the two teams now appeared simultaneously in the video, having a remote conference call with Xing Conglian. Wang Chao sat beside him, holding a laptop, wondering what his boss had figured out.
Without any pleasantries, Xing Conglian directly said, “Keep it simple, I’ll ask the questions, and you answer.”
“Okay,” the two people in the video replied in unison.
“Because Song Shengsheng endorsed AIH Insurance, many of his fans purchased AIH products.”
“Yes.”
“How many people are ‘many’?”
“1,922,” they replied.
Xing Conglian nodded. “So, Meijing took advantage of Song Shengsheng’s comeback concert ticketing system, filtering out 1,922 long-term purchasers of AIH insurance, and distributed the tickets to them?”
“Yes.”
“Then Meijing created a fire accident at the Christine Cultural Center, intending to kill the 1,922 fans who bought insurance?”
“Yes.”
“If 1,922 people died, what would be the total amount of the insurance policies?” Xing Conglian asked.
The two people in the video hesitated, and then one of them answered after a moment of recollection. “Each policy is different, but the total amount is about 41.31 billion dollars.”
Xing Conglian frowned. “That much?”
“There are many rich girls among the fans. This isn’t considered high.”
The other person said, “On average, more than two million per policy.”
“But the beneficiaries of these policies are all different?”
“Yes, they are generally their immediate family members.”
At this point in the questioning, Xing Conglian paused. The two team leaders were waiting for Xing Conglian to ask about the 21 insurance policies among the 1,922 people with the same beneficiary, but Xing Conglian didn’t.
He asked, “In your opinion, why would they set up such a large plot and deliberately kill these people?”
Jiang Chao’s boss, the old director of Yongchuan Second Bureau, gave a bitter smile. “We have always thought that this was a plot against AIH Insurance…but…”
“But AIH Insurance would be destroyed by a 41 billion claim,” the other person in the video call added.
“To cause social unrest?” Wang Chao interjected.
“Even if the insurance company goes bankrupt, there are still reinsurance companies to take over the policies. This wouldn’t cause turmoil in the country.” The old director of the Second Bureau answered.
“Who knows what these sociopaths aim to do? Maybe they just simply want to kill and cause trouble!” Wang Chao said.
“Enough,” Xing Conglian interrupted him, and then asked the two people on the screen. “Have you consulted financial experts?”
The old director of the Second Bureau nodded. “Experts have analyzed it. If AIH has to pay claims, its stock price will plummet. Although it won’t go bankrupt, it will affect many aspects of its business…”
Xing Conglian frowned, deep in thought. Wang Chao glanced at his boss, and somehow he thought of Zhourui Pharmaceutical.
At this time, Xing Conglian pulled over the phone on the desk and made a call. A loud, arrogant voice from an old man came from the speakerphone. “I have business worth billions here, so spit it out if you have anything to say.”
Xing Conglian had no mood to quarrel with the old man and directly said, “I have some information here. Take a look and tell me what AIH’s businesses would be affected and how likely it is to be acquired.”
Xing Conglian glanced at Wang Chao, who promptly sent the file over.
“Damn, I have to help you acquire an insurance company on top of a pharmaceutical company? Do you gay guys all have such thick faces?”
The old man was about to ramble on, but Xing Conglian interrupted him. “You have 15 minutes.”
He hung up quickly after saying that.
The old man’s voice was loud, and the two people on the computer heard it, making the situation extremely awkward. But with Xing Conglian’s current mood, he didn’t have the time to care about these things.
The old man called back faster than expected.
“AIH has a wide range of businesses,” the old man said.
“Go on.”
“Damn, do you really think I’m your servant?”
“You don’t have many days to live, so cut the crap,” Xing Conglian said.
“Well, you have a point.” The old man actually agreed with this. “Let’s put it this way. Do you know how many small insurance companies went bankrupt after 9/11?”
“I don’t know. Don’t beat around the bush and tell me the result,” Xing Conglian replied coldly.
“Okay, okay. The result is, AIH will definitely be crippled by this payout, shrinking some regional and deficit-ridden businesses… Whether it will go bankrupt and restructure is hard to say. It’s complicated. I’ll find someone to make you a research report…” As the old man was talking, he suddenly shouted, “Where are my reading glasses?!”
“No need. Tell me, do the affected regions include the Angodo Republic?”
“Wait,” the old man succinctly replied.
Upon hearing the name Angodo, Wang Chao was stunned.
When they went to Dana, the plane landed in Angodo.
The Republic of Angodo bordered the Dana Region. It used to be poor, but then there was a good president who implemented universal health care and free education, which dramatically improved the country’s living standards.
If the other party has been planning for years to bring down AIH and consequently affect Angodo, then this was a move that could be described as nothing short of madness.
There was a long back-and-forth discussion and exchange of information coming from the other end of the phone.
A moment later, the old man replied, “On the list.”
“30-second briefing,” Xing Conglian said.
“All of Angodo’s national medical insurance is under AIH. If AIH encounters a payment crisis, it will shrink its business in Angodo. Moreover, many hospitals in Angodo are largely funded by AIH.”
“In other words, they would close down and run, turning Angodo’s universal health insurance and medical facilities into ornaments.”
The old man protested, “Be civilized. It’s a normal bankruptcy process. How can you say they’re running away…”
Before the person on the other end of the phone could say anything else, Xing Conglian decisively hung up.
The two team leaders in the video call were puzzled, not knowing why Xing Conglian thought of Angodo, but Wang Chao knew it was because of the Dana rainforest, but he couldn’t say.
“Angodo is not part of China. It’s poor, and there are no reinsurance companies to take over the policies,” Xing Conglian said.
“If AIH runs away, the national health insurance becomes a piece of paper, and medical care has never been something that the poor can enjoy,” he added.
“This is the so-called social unrest caused by the bankruptcy of an insurance company,” he concluded.
Whether it was Wang Chao or the two team leaders in the video call, they were all speechless for a long time.
Indeed, they had been immersed in this case for a long time, and they knew more about the case than Xing Conglian, but even Lin Chen wouldn’t have thought of Angodo.
They had never been there, so it was a blind spot in their thinking.
“Why would Meijing intentionally kill our citizens in order to bring down an insurance company?” Wang Chao asked subconsciously.
“Next, let’s talk about the issue of MSC Doctors Without Borders.” Xing Conglian directly ignored him.
In the video call, the director of the second bureau quickly added, “Of the 1,922 policies, 21 beneficiaries are the MSC Doctors Without Borders Federation—non-legal entities can become designated beneficiaries.”
Before Xing Conglian could ask the previous question again, he directly said, “MSC is the oldest Doctors Without Borders organization in the world. The fans were probably inspired by Song Shengsheng to fill in MSC as the beneficiary.”
“What’s the sum insured for these 21 people?” Xing Conglian asked.
“21 million.”
“Not much.”
“Compared to over four billion, it’s a small sum, but indeed, we can’t rule out the suspicion that this organization is defrauding insurance,” the director of the second bureau said. “At least the insurance company will investigate or try to refuse payment.”
“If MSC and Meijing are in the same boat, then this is insurance fraud,” the other person in the video call said.
“What if it’s not?” Xing Conglian countered.
“According to the idea of bringing down AIH behind the scenes, it’s hard to make an international medical organization bankrupt, but you can bankrupt its credibility with 21 million and some propaganda wars.”
Xing Conglian looked approvingly at the other party. “21 million, and you don’t have to pay for it yourself. It’s a good deal.”
“Killing two birds with one stone? What do these people have against insurance companies? What good does it do them to bring these two down?” Wang Chao interjected.
“That’s been our question all along,” the director of the second bureau in Yongchuan said. “More than three thousand people—what is the murderer’s motive?”
“Check your mailboxes. Wang Chao just sent you two documents,” Xing Conglian said. “Confidential files—be sure to keep them secret.”
Of course, these two documents were the virus documents found on the server. Hearing this, Wang Chao finally pieced together the puzzle pieces.
The Dana Rainforest, the neighboring Republic of Angodo, the Doctors Without Borders organization, the neurotoxin, the Borna virus, and the grand goal of this organization…
Near A University, in a certain café by the window, Zhong Chengshuo was sitting there blankly.
He had planned to finish his paper by 5 p.m. and go on a date with Yin Ren nearby. However, before 4 p.m., he had already achieved his goal. Faced with this unexpected situation, Zhong Chengshuo felt a bit lost—Yin Ren was currently busy checking on Sun Qi’an’s condition and definitely didn’t have time to chat with him.
Surrounded by chattering customers, Zhong Chengshuo deeply experienced the feeling of “boredom”.
Outside the window, a scoop of ice cream fell onto the pavement, and a group of ants systematically explored the treasure. Zhong Chengshuo obediently leaned on the table, fixating his dark eyes on the ants.
The army of ants made its journey smoothly, except for a minor incident—soon after, a fly leisurely landed on the ice cream cone.
Zhong Chengshuo frowned.
The elder of the Zhong family had taught him that “life is precious”, but Zhong Chengshuo didn’t particularly like flies and mosquitoes that spread diseases. He extended his hand, and the tips of his five fingers lightly touched the glass as darkness surged within his pupils.
Fear dominated.
The fly kicked its legs, and its body rolled off the ice cream cone.
Zhong Chengshuo withdrew his hand and took a sip of juice. Recently, he had become more skilled in using his abilities. Shian had specifically calculated it; with his current power and the help of the Karma Lantern, he could destroy Haigu within two minutes. Under excessive fear, everyone would choose to end their own lives at the first opportunity.
Zhong Chengshuo had no thoughts on the matter.
He had no special liking or disliking towards humans, especially since Yin Ren had a special preference for humans—to the point of harboring the power of corruption while tirelessly protecting them.
He didn’t want to oppose his lover.
Furthermore, using emotions to drive people to self-destruction, Qi Xin, as “Sorrow”, could do that too. But Qi Xin couldn’t force flies and mosquitoes to death, nor could she help exterminate cockroaches in the neighborhood. For lower-level creatures, the most primal “Fear” was effective.
Thinking of this, Zhong Chengshuo’s blank expression became smug without showing it. He carefully savored and tasted this emotion, then glanced at the time—there was still half an hour before Yin Ren arrived.
The flow of time had undoubtedly slowed down, Zhong Chengshuo solemnly judged.
In the next moment, accompanied by screeching brakes, a heavy wave of fear erupted nearby.
Zhong Chengshuo looked out of the window and happened to see the scene of an accident. A dirty stray dog had been hit by a car and was lying on the roadside, bleeding. The driver confirmed that it wasn’t a pet and drove away without hesitation.
The little dog lay quietly on the roadside, and the deep red blood spread slowly on the ground. The viscous blood covered its dirty and matted fur, and the trembling body in the center of the bloodstain wouldn’t stop.
A few passersby stopped to look for a while and then walked away. The stray dog’s bones were broken, and its organs were exposed. No professional knowledge of zoology was needed to know that its life was coming to an end.
The smell of fear grew stronger.
Zhong Chengshuo stared at the puddle of blood for a moment. A few seconds later, he closed his laptop and stood up.
……
The stray dog lay motionless on the roadside.
It wanted to move, but its emaciated body wouldn’t respond at all. Everything became unfamiliar and cold. Besides panting and trembling, it couldn’t do anything. Intense pain exploded within its body, and countless monstrous creatures swept past it. It had never been so terrified before.
Suddenly, a massive shadow stopped beside it. The newcomer carried a refreshing scent of vegetation, completely devoid of the stench of sweat.
Human? …There seemed to be something not quite right, but it didn’t have the strength to distinguish. Anyway, humans weren’t good creatures. In its terror, the stray dog bared its teeth and let out a weak growl.
The person bent down.
The stray dog could feel the person’s gaze, as well as the slight movement of the shadow and the scent—it wanted to bite him with all its might the moment he touched it.
“Whether it’s humans or other creatures, their reactions are similar when they’re dying,” the person said.
The stray dog trembled even more.
“I’ve encountered someone who looks a lot like you before. Like you, I didn’t know his name… He was my enemy, abandoned by his comrades, destined to die.”
The voice continued steadily.
“That was the first time I used this ability for something else.”
With these words, a hand gently landed on the stray dog’s head.
“…This time, I’ll do better.”
It should bite him hard, the stray dog struggled to turn its thoughts. Strangely, it seemed to have suddenly forgotten the reason for attacking.
The intense pain remained, the coldness remained, and the smell of blood was everywhere, as if nothing had changed. But the despair and fear disappeared without a trace, leaving only a gentle calmness.
Perhaps this was the safety and tranquility that it had never experienced in its entire life.
Its vision gradually faded, but its body no longer trembled. The hand on its forehead was incredibly warm. With great effort, the stray dog pondered for a moment, mustered its last bit of strength, and slowly closed its eyes.
“Good night,” the human softly said.
……
Zhong Chengshuo packed up the remaining food, bought a paper box and cloth from the café, and cleaned up the stray dog’s body. The cloth covered the blood-soaked body, and it lay peacefully as if sleeping. Zhong Chengshuo placed the paper box in the cleanest corner of the trash bin, and after a moment of contemplation, he took out a small cake and gently placed it next to the body.
At this moment, Zhong Chengshuo was very certain of two things.
First, Yin Ren was surprisingly softhearted and definitely wouldn’t mind one missing piece of cake. Second… he indeed preferred using his power like this rather than destroying the world.
Just like Yin Ren.
It was now 4:53 p.m., and he couldn’t be late for his date.
“Goodbye,” Zhong Chengshuo bid farewell to the small body.
On the other side, at Haigu Municipal Hospital.
“Well, there’s no problem. But if you experience any abnormal emotions, be sure to contact us immediately.”
Yin Ren stood up from the couch and stretched lazily.
“Love’s” seal in Sun Qi’an’s brain was still stable. However, better to be safe than sorry, Yin Ren would still give Dr. Sun a monthly check-up.
“What do you mean by abnormal emotions?” Sun Qi’an neatly combed her hair.
“You’ll feel it yourself more quickly.” Yin Ren extended his index finger and tapped Sun Qi’an’s brow.
He released the power of “Love” into Sun Qi’an’s brain, which lasted for about five seconds. Within those five seconds, Dr. Sun’s eyes went from confusion to madness, and then back to confusion. After removing his finger, her gaze was filled with shock.
“That’s probably how it feels.” Yin Ren coughed twice in a seemingly serious manner.
“It’s really scary.”
“Isn’t it?”
“It’s terrifying. It’s supposed to be a strong love… but I always feel like I want to destroy something, and my mind can’t function properly.” Dr. Sun rubbed her temples in pain.
“I totally understand. You must remember this feeling.” Thinking about his own history of being affected, Yin Ren’s eyes almost teared up. Even after all this time, Zhong Chengshuo’s voice recordings related to Innocent Thoughts still remained.
Despite wearing an innocent face, that kid was quite frightening in certain aspects.
Dr. Sun’s face turned pale as she sat on the couch, poured herself half a cup of tea, and finally caught her breath. “Have you also experienced these things? Without going crazy?”
“… ” Yin Ren shifted his gaze to the corner of the wall, feeling guilty.
Fortunately, Dr. Sun didn’t think too much about it and drank another half cup of tea, still trembling slightly. “No wonder you’re a master in Shian. If someone as skilled as you went crazy, the level of destruction would be outrageous. Does Shian have any special countermeasures?”
Yin Ren’s expression froze for a moment.
At present, he and Zhong Chengshuo could be considered Shian’s “countermeasures”, but there weren’t any before. At that time, Shian was only entangled with Sunken Society, and their research on the Other Side had been at a standstill. If…
If on that rainy night, he hadn’t met Zhong Chengshuo.
He wouldn’t have joined Shian so quickly, and it would have been impossible for fate to push him forward. In that state of ignorance, once the Elementals discovered him, he wouldn’t have been able to resist. A lone person, manipulated by emotions, would become a weapon for Sunken Society… No, the Other Side.
Shian would be caught off guard and combined with Zhong Chengshuo, who couldn’t delve deeper into the research on the Other Side, they would absolutely have no ability to resist.
“Haha.” Yin Ren suddenly burst into laughter.
Dr. Sun poured herself another cup of tea. “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.” Yin Ren rubbed his face.
It was just that he realized he had almost become the world-destroying Demon King.
Humming a tune, the Great Demon King left and casually bought a bouquet of flowers from a nearby shop.
Sunlight poured through the glass into the flower shop, and the vibrant colors overflowed with vitality, making one’s eyes sore. The colorful bouquet was wrapped in colorful wrapping paper, with water droplets rolling on the petals. Unfortunately, this delicate atmosphere was soon destroyed—
Yin Ren had the stewed rice box prepared by Zhong elders in his hand, as well as the brand of sandwiches that Zhong Chengshuo liked. The bouquet was squeezed in between a few bags, looking particularly pitiful.
“Hello? I understand, Mom, it’s alright, I’ll deliver it soon… Yes, yes, we’ll eat together.” Yin Ren floated in the sky, having a serious conversation. “I remember. I’ll definitely bring back the lunch box.”
After finishing the call, he turned into a trail of shadows and disappeared into the air.
It was 5:57 p.m.
Yin Ren landed silently and immediately saw Zhong Chengshuo in front of the café. He had a laptop bag in his left hand and a pastry in his right hand with eyes filled with clear anticipation.
As the sun set, there was a bustling crowd around Zhong Chengshuo. People passed by him, heading in different directions. Zhong Chengshuo stood among the crowd, and that sense of detachment had disappeared without him noticing.
He looked like one among the countless beings.
Yin Ren stepped out of the alley, unable to hide the smile on his face. He stopped by Zhong Chengshuo’s side and sniffed lightly. “You smell like blood.”
“Mm…” Zhong Chengshuo began to carefully organize his words.
“But it’s ‘good blood.'” Yin Ren couldn’t help but free one hand and ruffle the other’s soft hair. “Although I don’t know what you did, you did a good job. Let me praise you first.”
“Really?”
“I’ll make it up tenfold if I’m lying.” Yin Ren shook the lunch box. “Our parents made something special for us again. Let’s have dinner first and talk while eating.”
Zhong Chengshuo skillfully extended his hand and pulled out the bouquet from a pile of plastic bags. He held the flowers against his chest and a smile appeared on his lips.
“Okay.” Zhong Chengshuo took two steps forward, leaning close to Yin Ren.
“Don’t get so close. You might crush the sandwiches—”
“I like it crushed.”
The author has something to say:
World destroying Demon King A + Demon King B, it’s so great that they’re getting along peacefully! (×
There’s only one more chapter for the extras, and it will be completed in the next few days! Thank you all for waiting so patiently—
In two days, there would be an academic exchange conference at D University. As one of the two representatives from A University, Ma Yan was quite nervous—
D University was located in a remote area, close to several ancient tombs. Recently, a new burial site was discovered, and strange occurrences have been happening since then. Based on Ma Yan’s experience, those rumors weren’t just idle talk—he had interned at a special department in Shian and knew some inside information.
As the bus departure time approached, Ma Yan took off his backpack. While swinging the backpack, he accidentally hit the person next to him.
“Sorry Zhong Chengshuo,” Ma Yan apologized as he put the backpack on his lap.
“It’s okay.” Zhong Chengshuo nodded without turning his gaze.
Indeed, he’s such an odd person.
Zhong Chengshuo was considered the most highly regarded student in the department. It was said that he wandered outside for a few years before returning to pursue his Ph.D. He rented a place near A University and didn’t participate in any student group activities. This guy didn’t even eat in the cafeteria—he always went back to his rented house for meals. Ma Yan wondered what he was so dedicated to.
Currently, there were three seats in a row, but Zhong Chengshuo had left the one by the window empty.
“Waiting for someone?” Ma Yan looked at the time, trying to start a conversation.
Zhong Chengshuo: “Yes, a family member.”
Ma Yan took a deep breath. This conference allowed attendees to bring their family members. But this person Zhong Chengshuo… Wasn’t that ring just for fun? Who would choose such a strange wedding ring?
Considering his behavior of running back to his rented house, Ma Yan solemnly pondered. “Taking care of a relative’s children?”
“My partner wants to come along.” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice became slightly louder. He finally turned his head, and his black, hollow eyes fixated on Ma Yan.
Bachelor Ma Yan: “…” He’s not happy.
Speaking of which, Zhong Chengshuo was quite good-looking. Even if he was an eccentric person, there would definitely be girls who liked him. Ma Yan wondered what kind of person his partner would be like…
“Zhong Ge!” A figure swiftly jumped onto the bus. The person was wearing a black shirt and a red duckbill cap. Their long hair was tied up in a ponytail. Above the mask, a pair of red eyes formed a smiling curve.
The person strode over to Ma Yan. “Brother, excuse me.”
They took the empty seat by the window, wearing the same ring on their ring finger as Zhong Chengshuo.
So, it really is a wedding ring?!
Ma Yan is shocked. “Wait, a guy?”
Zhong Chengshuo nodded. His expression remained unchanged, but the atmosphere around him seemed to have brightened by 10%. The person sitting down removed their mask and took a deep breath.
After seeing the other person’s appearance, Ma Yan was speechless. The more beautiful a “person” was, the more dangerous they were, as Ma Yan learned during his internship. His mental tension instantly escalated.
“Zhong Chengshuo’s classmate? I’m Yin Ren.” Yin Ren extends his hand in a straightforward manner.
“Ma Yan.” Ma Yan shook their hand, trembling.
Fortunately, Yin Ren only exchanged a simple greeting. Not long after getting on the bus, he yawned loudly and immediately rested his head on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, falling asleep.
……
D University was in a remote location, and the nearby shops and hotels were at a small-town level. Most of the conference participants stayed on campus, but Zhong Chengshuo, with his family member, had booked a room in a hotel.
After some contemplation, Ma Yan chose to book a room at the same hotel. Just in case there were real problems with the nearby burial site or if Zhong Chengshuo’s boyfriend was indeed suspicious, it would be easier to contact Shian.
The first two days went smoothly.
Zhong Chengshuo acted as usual, while his partner, Mr. Yin, simply wandered around various street food stalls nearby. Ma Yan felt relieved, thinking that maybe he was overreacting.
Until midnight of the third day.
In the cheerful background music of the game, Ma Yan poked at his phone while playing a video on his computer. He was going back tomorrow, so there wasn’t much to worry about.
Swish.
Amidst the music and dialogue, a strange sound suddenly appeared.
Swish, swish.
Vague noises came from beneath the floor, sounding like digging in the soil. Ma Yan turned off the game and video, but the strange sound became even clearer.
Swish, swish, swish. The floor was trembling.
Ma Yan’s room was on the third floor, with an empty guest room below. There was a simple layer of reinforced concrete in between, which couldn’t explain these digging-like noises.
Stay calm, it’s a minor thing. There must be some scientific explanation behind it. Ma Yan tightened his face.
Outside, the night had grown dark, and no lights were visible. In the silence, apart from the sound of digging, there were eerie whispers. Ma Yan walked a few circles in the room, making sure it wasn’t his own illusion or dream.
Ma Yan couldn’t decide whether to go outside or not. The occupancy rate here was low, and he was the only one on the third floor. Moving around casually might be even more dangerous.
Swish, swish. A faint, foul odor filled the air.
The digging and whispers were getting closer. Ma Yan anxiously stared at the source of the sound. In the hotel’s dim yellow light, a small clump of soil faintly appeared on the tiled floor.
Ma Yan swallowed his saliva, shifting his gaze towards the door—
Knock, knock, knock!
“Ma Yan, want to have a drink together?” Right at that moment, Yin Ren’s voice sounded from outside the door.
The digging sound abruptly stopped, and even the soil on the floor seemed to retreat at a rapid pace, as if trying to escape.
Ma Yan: “…?”
“We came to find you.” Outside the door, Yin Ren continued to call out. “Zhong Ge can’t drink, and it’s boring if it’s just me. It’s livelier with more people.”
Ma Yan approached the peephole. In the dim corridor, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were indeed standing there. The problem was that he barely knew Zhong Chengshuo, and it was his first time meeting Yin Ren. It was suspicious for them to suddenly come from another floor to drink in the middle of the night.
Taking a step back, something about his room felt off, and he couldn’t involve innocent classmates in this.
Ma Yan cleared his throat. “I’m about to sleep. Let’s meet up after I return to the city.”
Swish.
Just as Ma Yan finished speaking, there was a cautious sound beneath the floor.
Yin Ren: “Ah, what a pity…”
In an instant, the hotel’s door slammed onto the ground. Yin Ren stood at the entrance with a smile, still in the motion of pushing the door.
“Sorry, the door isn’t sturdy.” Yin Ren’s eyes glowed red in the darkness.
Sturdy my ass! Ma Yan jumped up and grabbed his phone. Something was definitely off with this guy, and he had to report it to Shian.
Zhong Chengshuo was holding a strange-looking lantern as he approached. “Should we show it to him?”
“No need to erase his memory. Fu Tianyi just sent news that this person has good potential.” Yin Ren murmured to himself, tilting his head. “The science post values cognition, right? If his cognition collapses here, he won’t be of much use.”
“I understand.” Zhong Chengshuo nodded solemnly.
With a terrified gaze, Ma Yan watched the two of them chattering. His heart almost exploded. What on earth was going on with these two? Could it be that Zhong Chengshuo was being controlled by a monster? It had already been so long; why hadn’t Shian’s people arrived yet?
In Ma Yan’s frightened gaze, Yin Ren casually walked to the center of the room and knocked on the floor. “Why not keep digging?”
The room fell into complete silence.
“You were having so much fun digging just now. You were only one step away from singing the ‘most glorious labor’.” Yin Ren gently raised his right hand, then struck the floor. Strangely, the tiles showed no damage, and Yin Ren’s hand sank into the ground as if it were sinking into mud, straight into the floor.
In an instant, he pulled his hand, and a desiccated, skeletal arm emerged.
Below the arm, there were brownish-black bones and intertwined tree roots that seemed inseparable from each other. Yin Ren pulled it out like he was pulling a water hose, while Zhong Chengshuo carefully arranged the part that was pulled out, meticulously stacking it against the wall.
For some reason, the monster being pulled out trembled slightly, without any resistance. When it was being arranged in a circle by Yin Ren, it even cooperated by adjusting its position.
This is insane. Ma Yan slid slowly to the corner of the wall.
The monster itself was one thing, but these two people… He couldn’t come up with any explanation.
After pulling for about twenty minutes, the monster beneath the floor was finally completely pulled out. It occupied one-third of the room and was piled up like stacked tires. The monster wriggled, and the dust on its body fell to the ground.
Zhong Chengshuo examined the monster for a while, and a look of joy appeared on his face. Ma Yan had seen that expression before; every time his father caught a fish, he had the same satisfied look.
“Corpse intestine from an ancient tomb. The corpses have different years, most of them are sacrificial, and a few should be tomb raiders or…” Yin Ren wiped his hands with a wet towel. “Or people who were recently attacked.”
He pointed to the fresh part of the monster’s body, where it looked like tender shoots growing from withered tree branches.
“Thank you for the reminder.” Zhong Chengshuo took out a sample bag and a small knife from his pocket.
“Wait! You can’t just…” Ma Yan exclaimed.
The flesh and blood of the monster might have unknown effects, and it was strictly forbidden for ordinary people to privately obtain and study it under Shian’s regulations. With the situation happening right in front of him, Ma Yan couldn’t ignore it.
Zhong Chengshuo slowly turned his head, and Ma Yan was so scared that he covered his head. However, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t say a word, and his eyes just showed a hint of grievance.
Yin Ren raised a smile and spoke deliberately slowly. “We caught it, so naturally, we have the right to deal with it.”
Before he could finish his sentence, the monster let out a faint whimper and trembled, causing the floor to shake. If it weren’t for how disgusting the thing was, Ma Yan might have felt sorry for it.
“And guess why Shian hasn’t arrived yet?” Yin Ren’s smile became even brighter.
……
Before leaving the room, Yin Ren even left two cans of beer for Ma Yan. If he hadn’t left behind nearly half of the room filled with monsters, Ma Yan might have been even more grateful. The stimulated monster obediently remained still, playing dead alongside Ma Yan.
The good news was that five minutes after those two guys left, Shian’s personnel arrived at the door.
“Ancient tomb intestine, more than a thousand years old.” Fu Tianyi’s face showed no expression.
“Mr. Fu!”
Ma Yan instantly felt relieved. This was a top-notch expert from the Yandu branch, but he seemed particularly listless and in a bad mood.
Fu Tianyi absentmindedly picked up a can of beer and took a few sips.
“I’ll arrange for you to change rooms later, and Shian will handle this thing.” After putting down the can, Fu Tianyi sent a message while talking. “Not being shaken by seeing this thing, you’ve done well.”
Ma Yan had nothing to say. He actually wanted to be shaken, but unfortunately, the monster gave in too quickly, and his emotions hadn’t had time to brew.
Thinking about it, Ma Yan hesitated for a moment. “Two people took…”
“It’s safe here.” Fu Tianyi interrupted loudly. “No issues at all.”
“Just now, two people…”
“No issues at all.”
“Just now—”
“No issues at all!” Fu Tianyi drank half a can of beer, and a sense of despair appeared on his face.
Ma Yan: “…Alright, since the Fu family says there are no issues, I have no position to question further.”
……
One week later.
[BOOS Supreme Devil Emperor: Lao Jiang is selling ancient tomb corpse hearts!]
[Xinxin Dog Kennel: Where can you even get corpse hearts now? They’ve all been plucked clean.]
[BOOS Supreme Devil Emperor: That new burial site.]
[Lao Zhang Pancake Stall 028: The corpse heart is guarded by corpse intestines. Corpse intestines with high cultivation will devour people on their own. They are extremely dangerous.]
[No Head: That place has been around for thousands of years; it’s tough. Dealing with a five-hundred-year-old corpse intestines would require about a hundred people.]
[BOOS Supreme Devil Emperor: It must be King Yama.]
[No Head: Here we go again.]
[BOOS Supreme Devil Emperor: Didn’t he get a partner? It must be them.]
[yamagald: Guess?]
“Don’t worry too much. ‘King Yama’ won’t expose himself,” Zhong Chengshuo said as he embraced Yin Ren from behind, sounding drowsy.
“The ministers probably have an idea in their hearts.” Yin Ren chuckled as he looked at the chat room flooding with messages.
“I haven’t left any evidence.” Zhong Chengshuo’s tone instantly turned serious.
“You don’t need evidence for this kind of thing. It’s not like we’re going to court.” Yin Ren playfully ran his hand through his partner’s hair. “Trust me. Even if they do find evidence, they’ll pretend they didn’t see it.”
After all, having King Yama as a convenient scapegoat was much more convenient than admitting that “there’s someone in Shian who can’t be controlled”.
“I don’t understand.”
“I’ll teach you slowly in the future.”
“…Alright.”
The author has something to say:
King Yama, a sham company (…
Two people making extra money with their salaries, laboring to become wealthy!
Teest swallowed the chicken in his mouth, looking at Nol with relish.
As the lich picked up the chicken, he immediately closed his eyes and pressed his hands together in a serious and devout manner, not knowing what he was praying for.
Nol was undeniably handsome, but the night made this beauty seem lifeless. Teest liked Nol’s eyes the most; they were full of life. When Nol closed his eyes like this, he looked like a real corpse—cold and distant.
Usually, when someone closed their eyes in front of Teest, they never got the chance to open them again. But he knew Nol could, and this left Teest somewhat perplexed.
As Teest tried to shake off this feeling, Nol suddenly opened his eyes. He took a long breath, and his face showed clear excitement. Caught off guard, Teest mentally shook his head.
“What did you get?” Teest asked.
Picking up another piece of chicken, Nol chewed happily, “‘Bloodline Suppression’. Not bad… The sauce is refreshing, though a bit bitter.”
Nol was truly satisfied. No matter how bitter the sauce, it wasn’t as bitter as the black coffee when working overtime.
Indeed, there were better skills in the dragon’s skill list. Talents like [Anti-Magic], [Dragon Breath], and [Species Morph] were comparable to SSRs*. Having been beaten down by reality for so long, Nol didn’t believe he had the luck to draw a golden card. He was content with getting an SR like [Bloodline Suppression], which wouldn’t be affected by curses.
*Specially Super Rare.
[Bloodline Suppression: As the apex of all creatures, you instill innate fear in other species. Only those with strong wills can resist. ※This is a passive skill and can be toggled on or off.]
He now had [Bloodline Suppression], [Listening], and [Smelling]—all excellent survival skills. He had added 240 to both his physical and magical defenses. Although he was still fragile, he wouldn’t die upon the slightest touch.
If all else failed, he had his “Working Knight”, Teest, and his 8-hour loyalty from [Betrayal Overture], which was exactly a working day.
“From now on, activate ‘Betrayal Overture’ every day at nine in the morning, from nine to five.”
Nol tried to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth. “Ensuring a 30% attribute boost during the day, extending it only under special circumstances. What do you think?”
Teest: “…Okay.”
He always felt the timing Nol chose was odd. But if the two of them had to exchange a hand-kiss gesture three times a day, it would be even weirder and might draw attention.
“I will still reduce the attributes,” Teest added. “The closer to the big city, the more players. It’s safer to be low-key.”
They both agreed and quickly finished off the long-horned chicken.
Nol tapped the plate with a fork, and the chicken bones neatly scurried away, leaving a clean blue dish.
……
Four days later, the sky was just as clear.
Knight Eugene stood at the entrance of the Evergreen Church with an unusually expressionless face.
In front of the Evergreen Church was a square paved with white stones. Now, there was a conspicuous blot, like a stain on a white handkerchief.
It was the missing Lord Swain.
He was dead, with gold threads all over his body. The sun shone, making them sparkle on his pale skin like exquisite tattoos.
Lord Swain had returned to his human form, wearing a robe and fixed in a slightly bent waist with his arms in an outstretched posture by the golden threads. His face was sewn into a gentle smile. At his feet were lush shrubs, and in front of him were two “children” made of vines and flowers. Their petals were dewy and brilliantly shining in the morning light.
A scene filled with love and compassion.
Naturally, Eugene recognized it. The protector of the orphans, Gilmore the Compassionate, one of the famous devotees in the Book of Life.
The real Mad Monk had come.
After Lord Swain was rescued, Eugene even intensified the guards in Whitebird City. But the Mad Monk had mysteriously managed all this, displaying the body at the entrance of the Evergreen Church. Apart from the panicked crowd, he left nothing behind.
Seeing this, the public would only feel it blasphemous and cruel. But Eugene knew the irony within—just two days ago, the Investigation Knights had discovered a secret passage in the city lord’s office and found piles of children’s skeletons.
…May God forgive these unholy fanatics.
The Investigation Knights mobilized quickly, sealing off the scene. Eugene turned against the flow, his dark green cloak slicing through the air.
Not far in a dark alley, two cloaked figures, one tall and one short, watched everything unfold.
Watching as the city lord’s body was magically concealed, the shorter of the two laughed a few times. “How marvelous! We were right nearby, and yet we didn’t notice.”
His tone remained frivolous, unmistakably the assailant from a few days prior.
“The Mad Monk has been a veteran who hasn’t been caught for over a decade,” the taller one said in a muffled voice.
“Forget it, we didn’t come for him in the first place,” the assailant commented nonchalantly. “The precious artifact is gone, and now we have to explain upon returning. What a hassle.”
The taller one remained silent.
Their plan was simple—with the assistance of the city lord, they intended to offer the corpse of a massive dragon and numerous human lives as sacrifices to awaken the candle, thus creating a portal unique to the Eternal Church. In doing so, the Church would covertly turn Whitebird City into a stronghold for its fanatical followers without anyone noticing.
The teleportation arrays between the major cities were ancient relics, tightly controlled by various nations. Temples monitored them closely, requiring strict registration for those entering or exiting. Long-distance teleportation magic existed only in legends, with only a few ancient artifacts having such capabilities.
After all, according to the teachings of the church, “transcending space” was stepping into the realm of the gods.
The candle was essentially a movable portal; its importance was self-explanatory. Yet his companion merely found it “troublesome to explain if lost”.
…It was somewhat understandable, the taller one thought. After all, they weren’t truly loyal to the Eternal Church.
“What’s your plan, Crimson?” the taller one asked.
“What else can I do but chase down that candle,” Crimson, the assailant, replied. “The two individuals were rather interesting. I’ve never been bested quite like that before.”
Saying this, he took off his hood and gestured to a passing young man in the alley.
“Hey there, run an errand for me?” Crimson said with a warm and friendly smile. “We’re waiting for someone and can’t leave. Could you buy us two bottles of wine? I’ll give you five silver hooks for your trouble.”
It was broad daylight, and the young man readily entered the deeper alley. In the next instant, a cold glint passed across his throat.
Blood sprayed instantly, covering the walls. The youth died in mere seconds, collapsing into the growing puddle. Crimson slashed his own palm and let his blood mix with the pool.
“I offer a life in exchange. Show me the whereabouts of the foe who drew my blood,” he commanded in a tone akin to placing an order.
From the blood arose a gaunt, deep-red humanoid figure, no taller than an adult’s calf, with an indistinct face. The blood gnome pointed south.
The young man’s body slowly sank into the pool of blood, and the stone slabs beneath the blood seemed to turn into a marsh. When the blood gnome dissolved back into the liquid, the corpse completely disappeared without a trace.
“Towards Grape Collar. Both the Alva and Rizzi merchant groups went in that direction,” the taller one said solemnly. “Shall we draw lots?”
“I’ll follow Alva, you tail Rizzi. The mercenaries Alva hired are more vigilant; you might get exposed.” Crimson shrugged. “Once we find the whereabouts of those two, we’ll regroup.”
The taller one grunted, sounding somewhat dissatisfied, but he didn’t comment.
Crimson clapped his hands, and flames arose, burning away the pool of blood, leaving only charred marks behind.
The brief firelight illuminated Crimson’s deep red hair and similarly colored eyes. He was fairly good-looking, but there was an unsettling, manic energy about him that made him unlikable. He wore a golden earring in his left ear, engraved with the insignia of “World of Tahe”.
The gold had a faded red hue, as though it were stained with blood, much like the stubborn bloodstains on Bluebeard’s key*.
*Reference to Bluebeard, a French folktale. He has a room where he keeps all his murdered wives’ corpses. You can read the story in the Wikipedia.
Having dealt with the body, Crimson put his hood back on, and the two delved deeper into the dark alley.
“You have to admit, you’re no match for the Mad Monk,” the taller one suddenly remarked, sounding a bit aggressive. “The Temple has no clue about him, while you, like a dog, fled to our country and nearly got caught by law enforcement.”
“But I hunt strong men, while you only dare strangle girls,” Crimson retorted lightly. “Honestly, ‘Jack’ is a terrible ID. Mr. Liang, you should’ve been more thoughtful when picking your name… or were you paying tribute to that Jack the Ripper*, who also specialized in killing women?”
*Unidentified serial killer in London England in 1888 who murdered a series of women (mainly prostitutes).
“I have a preference for women. That’s normal. You and the Mad Monk are just religious fanatics,” Jack, the taller one, said with increasing irritation.
“Alright, let’s talk about the Mad Monk. He’s not of my kind. Even though his work is also god-themed, his results lack love.”
“Love? I see it as hatred,” Jack scoffed.
“No, no, you don’t understand. When the subject is a god, hatred is also a form of love.”
Crimson’s tone was somewhat fanatical, like discussing a familiar academic issue. “The Mad Monk is different. He’s mad, true, but he’s an arrogant and calm madman. I don’t think he cares about gods… Um, his works mislead more than they blaspheme.”
There was a silence that lasted for about ten seconds, then Crimson suddenly stopped.
“I need to correct one detail,” he suddenly said. “There’s a little bit of love in the Mad Monk’s work. The smile on the corpse—it’s different.”
The tall man, Jack, couldn’t be bothered to engage. “Change the subject. I’m tired of your melodrama.”
“Don’t underestimate the will of the gods, my friend. Think about how we got here—I, a foreign tourist, can understand, but you, a fugitive, being invited to test the game? In the end, you make up for my only shortcoming.”
“I’m not your tool,” Jack said in a deep voice.
“Who knows?”
……
Nol hummed a cheerful tune.
He and Teest were sitting in a carriage from the Rizzi Caravan. Apart from sacks full of potatoes, carrots, and onions, it was just the two of them. The sacks piled up high, leaving a frighteningly narrow space. But this couldn’t dampen Nol’s mood—
With Lynn’s collaboration, the dragon-skin notebook was perfectly upgraded. The cover of “The Complete Recipe Book” had been meticulously remade and integrated completely with the notebook, giving it a perfect aged look.
Its cover was now made of black magic-absorbing cloth, with “The Complete Recipe Book” and decorative patterns embroidered with ancient silver thread, excellent for guiding magic, with a witch’s magic circle hidden within.
The pages of the notebook became smooth and white, and a discreet emblem was added to the spine—a prototype emblem made with color-changing thread, currently displaying a distorted “68%”, reminiscent of a phone’s battery display.
When Nol wasn’t using it, the notebook could charge itself. The change in magic during use was also intuitive, so there was no need to worry about over-draining and damaging the item.
The item’s description had also changed—
[The Complete Recipe Book: A book of questionable material. Be careful. What’s recorded inside is definitely not recipes. As long as you don’t overuse it, it’s always ready to serve you.]
“You seem happy?” Teest crossed his arms, yawning, his body slightly swaying with the bumps of the merchant’s carriage.
“Of course I am. This is my external skill slot,” Nol said, hugging The Complete Recipe Book as if wanting to kiss it.
Last night, both had stayed up. Teest went out to set up the corpse, while Nol eagerly made modifications to the new notebook—
He had rewritten [Necromancy], and now it could summon intermediate undead creatures. High-level undead creatures mostly had higher intelligence. The summoning rules were incredibly complex, and Nol was still researching. After all, to manually recreate the program’s intricate judgments and massive calculations, he needed a lot of time.
Furthermore, Nol added [Death Intimidation], in conjunction with [Bloodline Suppression]. If the dragon’s [Bloodline Suppression] successfully induced fear in the target, [Death Intimidation] would activate on its own, applying a 5-second rigidity status to the target.
[Necromancy] [Hide in the Shadows] [Death Intimidation]… This notebook was becoming more and more like a necromancer’s tool.
Surprisingly, when he directly rewrote and created his own magic, the system had no reaction. Apparently, it only cared if anyone changed the system’s original magic.
Nol decided to only write original spells in the book to guard against possible prying from the system.
Of course, he didn’t tell Teest that these skills were original creations, and Teest didn’t ask. They had an excellent unspoken understanding on the “don’t ask about each other’s abilities” front.
Teest’s gaze lingered on The Complete Recipe Book for a moment, then shifted to the cloth bag next to Nol’s leg.
Before leaving, Nol claimed to repay the “dragon-skin notebook debt”, giving almost all the rewards to Teest. With the remaining change, he bought a coarse cloth shoulder bag filled with blood ink, cheap quill pens, and parchment, plus two history books.
The only thing out of place in that bag was a doll’s head the size of a chicken egg. Its face and hair were carved from wood and painted brightly. This thing had a movable mouth with a serious expression, looking like a cheap souvenir from travels.
Witch Lynn said it was a special item; they could communicate with her through it.
In reality, mostly Nol communicated with her using it. Teest didn’t even bother reading its item description. Teest could see that the witch was very wary of him, even a bit disgusted. It was evident that his Mr. Mage status, even among otherworldly people, wasn’t ordinary.
At the moment, Nol was looking at the notebook with satisfaction, as if it had bloomed with flowers only visible to a lich.
He was wearing the simple robe Teest bought for him, with his bag half-hugged to his chest, sitting very upright… just like an ordinary magic apprentice.
The front of the carriage echoed with the clip-clop of horse hooves, while the white cloth covering the carriage was occasionally puffed up by the wind. From this angle, all Teest could see was the world constantly receding. Bored, he decided to find amusement.
“You said before that you wanted me to take you back home. That was a lie, wasn’t it?” Teest broke the silence.
“Huh? Yes.” Nol admitted readily, still engrossed in “The Complete Recipe Book”. “Don’t worry, our destination hasn’t changed. I said, I know how to break the engagement—as long as I confirm that you’re a decent person, you can get rid of me.”
‘A decent person,’ Teest mulled over the phrase. Perhaps Nol was even crazier than him if he thought that Teest, the Mad Monk, could earn such a description.
Then again, only he suffered from “God’s Forsaken”. If they really separated, Nol could still team up with others. What would this lich do in the future? Marry and divorce other players crazily?
But Nol might be fine on his own. He was clever, and despite the dire curse upon him, he had found a preliminary solution…
What would happen to this lich if they separated? It was an intriguing question, and Teest found he couldn’t answer.
“Aren’t you afraid I’m just pretending to be good?” Teest asked casually. “You can’t really know someone’s nature.”
“Then consider me blind,” Nol said decisively. “I’m no superhero. I try my best, and that’s enough—I still have many peers to find and puzzles to solve. I can’t be concerned with world peace.”
“What if I want to keep you longer, intentionally harming the innocent?” Teest, supporting a shaky bag of onions, questioned again. “You’re an interesting companion; maybe I don’t want to part too soon.”
Nol finally looked up, meeting Teest’s eyes. Even in daylight, Nol’s irises shimmered with a hazy glow, the color reminiscent of the wings of a blue morpho butterfly. Beautiful, but not very human-like.
Nol, seemingly oblivious to Teest’s distraction, grew serious. “If you don’t want to part, just say so. We can discuss it. It’s that simple.”
“But in any case, our destination won’t change—maintaining a teammate relationship can only be ‘our choice’, not ‘a compulsion’.”
“You see, this is where you’re so naive,” Teest murmured. “‘Choice’ is a luxury, honey.”
“After all this talk, I feel like you’re subtly saying, ‘I want to keep teaming up’,” Nol mused.
Teest smiled. “What can I say? My curiosity knows no bounds.”
Nol put down the book, sighing deeply. “Then you’re in for a treat. I don’t even understand myself.”
‘Ain’t that the truth,’ Teest thought.
Take the night before as an example—Nol went to the witch’s place to get the amended notebook, and they stayed at her cabin overnight. In the middle of the night, Teest felt a sudden lightness beside him and woke up almost instantly.
Then he heard the door open.
He turned over and saw Nol standing at the entrance. Liches didn’t need much sleep, so perhaps Nol woke up and decided to get some fresh air.
Ten minutes passed, then an hour, two hours… Nol stood there, head down, unmoving. Like a statue or a particularly eerie scarecrow.
‘Strange,’ Teest thought. ‘Didn’t Nol despise the moon?’
Only when the morning sun neared the horizon did Nol return to bed as if nothing had happened. During their stay in Whitebird City, Teest had never seen such behavior.
“What happened last night?” Teest asked directly the next morning.
“What do you mean? I slept well and didn’t even dream,” Nol responded, puzzled.
So Teest didn’t press further. But when leaving the cabin, he took a longer glance at the doorstep.
Ordinary stones, moss, wooden frame. If there was anything unique, it was the stain of blood—when Hannah held Margaret, seeking help, she bled a lot at the doorway. The witch had cleaned it, but a faint red mark remained.
…It didn’t make sense.
After that incident, Nol showed no more anomalies, and Teest didn’t feel it was his place to probe deeper.
But his curiosity only grew.
Staying by Nol’s side seemed fine. Since Nol had obtained the Eternal Church’s candle, Teest wasn’t worried about a shortage of prey coming their way.
……
As the sun set, the carriage halted. It was time for dinner.
Skinning, cutting, deboning—all specialties of the Mad Monk. The lamb meat was fresh, and with a little salt, it was palatable. Teest’s cooking speed was four or five times faster than other cooks. Nol couldn’t help with the cooking, so his main role was to serve the meat and ladle out the soup.
“Not bad, quite efficient,” a cheerful voice remarked.
Nol looked up and saw a middle-aged man dressed in a fine silk robe. He was tall and sturdy, with a long face. His bright red hair shone like flames, and numerous freckles dotted the sides of his hawk-like nose.
“I’m the owner of this caravan, Levis Rizzi,” the man introduced himself amicably. “I’m glad to have two hard working young men like you onboard. Put in good work, and your diligence will be rewarded.”
Nol wasn’t paying any attention to his words. He stared intently at Levis’ face, swallowing nervously. Even Teest paused his actions, eyeing Mr. Rizzi intently.
He looked so familiar, strikingly similar to the female version of Mrs. Petty.
…I’m not Petty! I’m Rebecca! Rebecca from Whitebird City!
…My father’s a merchant. He’s rich; he’ll hire people to deal with you!
It was a memory from when they had just escaped the novice village. The shrill, fearful screams of the woman still echoed piercingly from their memories.
“I’m sorry,” Nol murmured. “Sir, I have a rather abrupt question.”
Mr. Rizzi laughed. “Don’t be so tense; just ask.”
“Do…do you know ‘Rebecca’?” Nol cautiously inquired.
Mr. Rizzi was taken aback.
The author has something to say:
Teest: Friend, you aren’t afraid of me. Is it because you’re also pretty terrifying?
Nol: (innocent)
————————————
For now, both of them have an 8-hour mutual buff, a standard 9-to-5. When Teest becomes a knight in the true sense, won’t it be equivalent to working 24/7… The “Betrayal Overture” probably refers to betraying the working class!
Kinky Translations 